'HE 



ORPHAN 



BATTERY 



1* 



AND OPERATIONS 



128TH U. S. F1EL0 ARTILLERY 








Class JXLi 
Book__ J Jl2. 



CowriiM I Z. 3 "5 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



THE 

"ORPHAN BATTERY" 

AND OPERATIONS 



128th U. S. Field Artillery 
(1st Missouri F. A.) 



With Notes on the Organization of Which 

Battery E Became a Part, and Various 

Commentary Extracts. 



Compiled by 

LESLIE L. BUCKLEW 

With Contributions by Members of the Battery 



Howard M. White, Publisher 

211 High Avenue 

Cleveland, Ohio, U. S. A. 

1921 



pl° 






Copyrighted, 1921 

BY 
L. L. BUCKLEW 



14 192! 



PRESS OF 

Howard M. White 

CLEVELAND. O. 

©CI-A617665 

p f 



Dedicated 

To the Memory of 

Our Comrade 

Robert F. Clemments, 

Wounded Sept. 26, 1918, 

Died Oct. 2, 19 18, 

In the Argonne. 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



Page 

Band, 128th U. S. F. A 10 

Part of the 128th F. A. on the Road 72 

Batteries D, E and F at opening of Meuse- 

Argonne Drive 76 

Church at Neuville 78 

Position of 2nd Batallion in Orchard Above 

Very 88 

Graveyard in Courtyard at Charpentry 98 

Battery E at Camp Devens 100 



INDEX 



Chapter I p age 

Antecedents, 1812 to 1916 11 

This happened even before the time of " Old 
Battery A." 

Chapter II 
Organization and Roster Battery E 19 

In which you will find your bunkie's name. 

Chapter III 
Record of Stations and Movements 27 

Very dry but authentic. 

Chapter IV 
Incidents prior to arrival in France 51 

Qathering strength. 

Chapter V 
In France prior to Armistice 67 

Fulfilling the mission. 

Chapter VI 
Period covering Armistice to Discharge 99 

Activity is over, but duty remains. 



FOREWORD 

As time passes, and we hold more dear the 
experiences and associations of the past, this 
offering is made with a view of bringing to- 
gether facts and reminiscences, which it is 
hoped will keep vivid the memorable days of 
comradeship in an organization in which I con- 
sider I was most fortunate to have served. 

L. L. Bucklew, 

Kansas City, Mo. May 16th, 1919 




Band, 12Sth U. S. F. A! 




-.* »>-*." . ? 



\11 jolly good fellow: 



CHAPTER I. 

Antecedents, 1812 to 1916 

In all things there must be a beginning; 
therefore, for a history of this battery we must 
go back to the first known artillery organiza- 
tion in Missouri. From 1812 to 1916, over one 
hundred years, brief extracts are here quoted 
from Vol. 2, No. 4, Missouri Historical Society 
Collections (Courtesy of Col. Warner) : 

War of 1812. 

"The first mention of an artillery company in 
St. Louis, that I have found, is contained in a 
letter now in the possession of this Society, 
written by one John Sparks, to his kindred in 
New Town, N. Y., giving a description of life 
in St. Louis, in 1812. 

"The Missouri Gazette of Saturday, August 
22, 1812, says, 'St. Louis now boasts of one 
troop of horse * * one company of rifle- 



12 ANTECEDENTS 

men * * one company of artillery, now or- 
ganizing, * *' 

Mexican War 1846-7. 

"President Polk ordered Gen. Kearny to raise 
over three thousand volunteers, of which the 
Governor called on St. Louis County to furnish 
the artillery. * * The meeting of the re- 
cruits was held May 28, 1846, in the office of a 
Justice of the Peace, over a blacksmith's shop 
on Third St., between Pine and Olive. Here 
was organized Battery A Missouri Light Artil- 
lery * *. Each artilleryman was required to 
furnish himself with a good horse, saddle, cloth- 
ing and in fact everything but arms * . On 
June 13, 1846, a crowd of citizens assembled on 
the Levee to see the men of Battery A, 105 
strong, embark for Leavenworth * * which, 
with the few regulars then stationed at Leaven- 
worth, would form a column to be known as 
the 'Army of the West'. This small force was 
to cross the plains and take possession of Santa 
Fe as a center of operations * *. On the 
4th of July they struck the Santa Fe trail * *. 
On account of the scarcity of provisions the 
ration was cut down to flour alone * *. While 
at Bent's Ford the battery received a supply of 
mules to fill the places of the many horses that 



1812 TO 1916 13 

the fatigue of the march had killed off. Out of 
the hundred fine cannon horses originally sup- 
plied not over forty were left * *. The col- 
umn took a route that led within sight of Pike's 
Peak, then across the Arkansas River and over 
the Raton Range * *. Arriving at Santa Fe 
on August 18th they covered the distance of 
nearly nine hundred miles across the plains in 
a month and a half * *, Col. Doniphan of 
Missouri remaining in command of the volun- 
teers, (see semi-official report of the Battle of 
Braceto, 1st Lt. C. H. Kribben Mo. Light Art.) 

'The men who boasted a pair of shoes were 
to be envied. A few forunate ones had secured 
suits of buckskin from the Indians. The sol- 
diers had received no pay and had spent all 
their brass buttons. 

"On February 1st, 1847, Battery A, its 
strength increased to one hundred and fifty men 
by drafts on Fischer's battery, reached El Paso 
with four brass six pounders and two twelve 
pound howitzers. With the column now swelled 
to a thousand men Col. Doniphan crossed the 
Rio Grande * * (official report of the bat- 
tle of Sacramento, Col. A. W. Doniphan) . Note : 
the following is relative to returning: 

"At the Rio Grande the artillerymen took 
steamboat down the river reaching the mouth in 
four days * * were mustered out of the 



14 ANTECEDENTS 

service at New Orleans, and came by steam- 
boat to St. Louis, arriving on July 3, 1847 * *. 
Thus ended the wonderful Doniphan Overland 
Expedition * * one of the most remarkable 
feats in military history * * and most re- 
markable of all as the longest march of field ar- 
tillery in all annals of warfare, although the 
achievement is almost forgotten now, and is 
barely mentioned in current histories. William 
Cullen Bryant, in 1847, writing for the New 
York Evening Postpaid no expedition in history 
was at all comparable to it, except that of Xeno- 
phon, when he led the Greek Army across Asia 
Minor, through the plains of the Euphrates, to 
Babylon, and back over high lands of Armenia 
to Constantinople, a distance not two thirds as 
great. * * Of the four Mexican cannon 
brought back * * two now flank the ter- 
race in front of the Capitol at Jefferson City. 

The Southwest Expedition, 1860. 

"The eight hundred troops ordered out by the 
Governor included the Missouri Light Artillery 
of St. Louis * * . 

Civil War Batteries, 1861-5. 

"After the opening of the Civil War and dur- 



1812 TO 1916 15 

ing it, many batteries organized in St. Louis or 
by St. Louisians in the field on both the Union 
and Confederate sides * * a brief mention 
of the most important will be given * *. Con- 
federates: Guibor's Battery * * . Union: 
First Missouri Light Artillery * * , Second 
Missouri Artillery * * , Landgraber's Bat- 
tery * * also First Missouri Flying Artil- 
lery * * Confederates who dubbed its Cap- 
tain the 'Flying Dutchman.' 

The Simpson Battery, 1868-75 

The Provisional Battery, 1877. 

Light Battery A National Guard of Mo. 1877-98. 

"The first permanent quarters of the battery 
was established in the old Armory building at 
Fourth and Washington Ave. * * In 1880 a 
serious fire * * moved to 19th and Pine, 
but that, too, caught fire * * after the guns 
were parked in a vacant lot * * . 

"With veteran soldiers as its founders Bat- 
tery A naturally became a well-disciplined sol- 
diering body. Capt. Squires seems to have in- 
stilled into the men an enthusiasm, esprit de 
corps, or whatever it may be that holds together 
a volunteer company. 



16 ANTECEDENTS 

"During the eighties competitive drills 
among the National Guard companies were in 
vogue * * . The St. Louis Battery won a 
great many trophies, among them prizes in 
contests at St. Louis, Nashville, New Orleans, 
Houston, Jacksonville and Kansas City. 

Spanish War 1898. 

"The outfit went into camp at Jefferson Bar- 
racks * * May 16, they boarded cars for 
Chickamauga * * Gen. Miles was about to 
shift the seat of war to the Island of Porto 
Rico * * Battery A prepared to join the ex- 
pedition * * on the morning of July 24th. 

* * The battery sailed from Newport News 
on the 'Roumanian' and it is the story of a 
cattle boat * * for over a week * * Gen. 
Brooke was awaiting the artillery before begin- 
ning the advance from Arroyo to San Juan * 

* Gen. Brooke received news of the protocol as 
the battery was preparing to open fire * * . 
Returned to the States on 'Concho', arriving in 
New York Sept. 15, 1898 * * .On Nov. 30th 

* * mustering out ceremony was performed. 
"A number of generous citizens in fall of 1898 

subscribed liberally to the Armory Building 
Fund * * . The battery then had a fine 
home on Grand Ave., where its efficiency was 



1812 TO 1916 17 

preserved by its Captain, Frank M. Rumbold, 
who served in the Philippines and was also Ad- 
jutant General of Missouri." 

Mexican Border, 1916 

Battery A again entered Federal Service, 
leaving St. Louis June 20th, 1916, arriving at 
Laredo, Texas, July 4th. Finished their Bor- 
der Service about December 15th, and were 
mustered out at Ft. Riley, Kansas, arriving in 
St. Louis, December 23rd, 1916. 



ROSTER, BATTERY E 19 



CHAPTER II. 
Organization and Roster Battery "E". 

On July 19th, 1917, after a conference be- 
tween Frank M. Rumbold, commanding the 
regiment of artillery organizing in St. Louis, 
and Karl D. Klemm, commanding the regiment 
of artillery organizing in Kansas City, L. L. 
Bucklew was requested to raise a battery in 
Kansas City which was to become Battery "E" 
of the St. Louis regiment. Work was started 
the following day, and though recruiting was 
going on for three other regiments, naval ser- 
vice, regular army, aviation and an ambulance 
unit the battery accepted 139 men and was 
mustered into the State Guard on July 27th, 
1917, in Convention Hall as Battery E, 1st. 
Missouri Field Artillery. 

This Roster contains the names of every one 
who was in the battery, though there were some 
whom we regret were not with us during the 
entire time of our service: 



20 



ORGANIZATION AND 



Captain 

L. L. Bucklew 

Lieutenants 



Beals, Herbert J. 
Beaver, Fred H. 
Buckley, William J. 
Butts, Edward S. 
Dinkins, William T. 
DeHoog, Raymond E. 
Gheen, Russell T. 
Hoffman, G. 
Mars, Chester L. 
McMurray, Robt. J. 
Pickrell, Chas. U. 



Ramsey, J. 
Reilly, Edw. C. 
Sawyer, Alfred L. 
Strecker, Arthur T. 
Stubbs, S. 0. 
Thomas, Chester I. 
Thorburn, Fred T. 
Weed, James A. 
Winkler, Frank E. 
Wright, Arthur 
Zumwalt, Fred L. 



1st Sergeants 

Kempton, Leonard H. Snyder, Joyce R. 



Anderson, E. E. 
Baldwin, A. Brown 
Beyer, Romaine 
Brady, Chas. A. 
Breitag, Arthur H. 
Brock, Buford B. 
Browning, Robt. E. 



Sergeants 

Campbell, Edw. R. 
Carey, Dennis J. 
Ching, Earl R. 
Chenoweth, R. B. 
Compton, Chas. A. 
Feinor, G. H. 
Fletcher. Rollie E. 



ROSTER, BATTERY E 



21 



Sergeants — Continued 



Gattrell, William S. 
George, Edwin A. 
Githens, Fred C. 
Hartnett, Paul F. 
Howard, Orville A. 
Johns, Harry C. 
Johnson, Geo. E. 
King, Jas. W. 
Madigan, John B. 



Matherly, Marvin P. 
Mohart, Chas. T. 
Mulford, Floyd H. 
Severance, Horace W. 
Thompson, Jas. G. 
Vasey, Earl L. 
Webb, William G. 
Ziegler, Herbert F. 



Corporals 



Abbott, Ruvia A. 
Alexander, Karl V. 
Barnby, Arch W. 
Bell, Rowan J. 
Bollin, Frank J. 
Bowling, Thos. E. 
Burke, Geo. T. 
Burke, Jerome J. 
Carpenter, Walton 
Cirkal, Jos. A. 
Cirkal, Robt. G. 
Chenoweth, S. D. 
Claypool, Hugh 
Coddington, David I. 
Cook, Chas. S. 
Davies, Jos. 0. 



Dierkes, E. J. 
Driemeyer, A. J. 
Fritsche, John W. 
Dietzel, Louis H. 
Dorman, Lee C. 
Gibson, John W. 
Hogan, Edw. D. 
Hubbard, Andrew F. 
Langston, Ira 
Leeman, Prehm F. 
Little, Chas. A. 
Mackintosh, T. E. 
Maluy, W. B. 
Miller, Jessie L. 
Morgan, Jas. R. 
Naumann, S. J. 



22 



ORGANIZATION AND 



Corporals — Continued 



Newcomer, Guy B. 
Pickens, Wm. C. 
Purdy, Leslie L. 
Rafiner, E. L. 
Rigdon, E. 
Rothgeb, Roy R. 



Rotemund, Frank 
Seath, Walter 
Strader, W. E. 
Taliaferro, Ben T. 
Wimer, L. C. 
Williams, Stanley 



Chief Mechanics 



Geenans, August 
Hartness, Ralph 



Brown, Jas. J. 
Carpenter, W. B. 
Charleville, Jos. A. 
Groves, John 



Noland, Jas. L. 



Cooks 



Harris, Raymond 
Roasa, C. A. 
Smith, Edw. D. 
Smith, Leroy 



Horseshoers 



Boes, Thos. E. 
Holmes, Mosie M. 



Taylor, L. E. 



Kirk, Jas. D. 
Kubena, Frank W. 



Farrier 



Mechanics 



Fallert, Frank J. 
Mclnturff, Eugene 



Stanford, Edw. H. 
Maxwell, Stanley 



ROSTER, BATTERY E 



23 



Langstaff, Wm. 



Ellings, Sam'l R. 
Geenans, Chas. 
Page, F. S. 
Pool, G. C. 



Saddler 



Buglers 



Pottorff , Woodson 
Shore, M. L. 
Thatcher, C. 
Wood, Walter B. 



Privates 



(Including Wagoners and First-Class Privates) 



Anderson, Arthur 
Anderson, Wm. 
Barnett, Earl 
Baucom, Floyd F. 
Bennett, J. W. 
Bigus, I. L. 
Bilyeu, Claude J. 
Bomar, Robt. H. 
Bowers, W. W. 
Buckrucker, Fred C. 
Butcher, Chas. T. 
Brigman, Lee 
Buckholtz, John J. 
Burkhart, Walter 
Burks, J. A. 
Bush, J. L. 



Cagnizi, Luigi 
Carden, J. W. 
Carron, Thos. P. 
Carver, Joe. 
Casey, Chas. T. 
Clifford, Harry 
Curry, Geo. L. 
Cezkawski, B. 
Chambers, Leroy P. 
Chastain, Roy C. 
Clanton, W. S. 
Clemments, Robt. F. 
Connors, Thos. J. 
Conrick, Robt. F. 
Costello, Jos. 
Coulter, Robt. C. 



24 



ORGANIZATION AND 



Privates — Continued 



Dalton, Chas. M. 
Dames, Henry J. 
Danner, Edw. A. 
DeHart, Paul E. 
Dettling, Mat 
Demeke, C. E. 
Dillon, Geo. B. 
Dobinson, E. J. 
Duckworth, Cutch 
Durrett, P. B. 
Duncan, Lee 
Dvorak, Jos. J. 
Donka, Geo. 
Eli, Henry W. 
Fairleigh, Aug. 
Field, A. H. 
Flemming, L. F. 
Flesh, Wm. A. 
Frericks, J. F. 
Franke, H. H. 
Friend, R. D. 
Fick, John 
Gall, Seymour B. 
Gee, Merrill H. 
Gentry, G. R. 
Gibbs, Winn 
Gladish, H. E. 
Gladstone, A. 



Graham, Floyd E. 
Grass, L. L. 
Greaves, R. B. 
Grebe, Aug. 
Gregg, W. V. 
Guedry, Chas. A. 
Guethley, F. G. 
Hanover, Ross N. 
Hargrove, J. D. 
Harrington, 0. C. 
Harrison, E. C. 
Harrison, J. N. 
Hartstack, A. R. 
Hassel, C. J. 
Hatton, Rufus 
Haupt, R. F. 
Heaton, Guy V. 
Hedkamp, Victor 
Heede, Edw. 0. 
Hennaberry, M. J. 
Hoffman, H. D. 
Hollingshead, G. S. 
Holt, Geo. W. 
Hopple, Raymond E. 
Horrigan, J. D. 
Horner, W. W. 
Hostutler, John E. 
Jasse, J. P. 



ROSTER, BATTERY E 



25 



Privates — Continued 



Jeck, A. C. 
Johnson, C. E. 
Johnson, W. 
Kahanek, Frank A. 
Kainer, Otto H. 
Kassel, V. 
Keel, Robt. R. 
Kelly, Henry G. 
Kessler, Paul 
Keyser, W. J. 
Kimbriel, D. H. 
King, Orvill 
Kinser, D. B. 
Knox, C. W. 
Kretzer, E. L. 
Kutac, C. 
Lane, Walter 
Lang, Roger 
Langf ord, Tom R. 
Lashbrook, Mai J. 
Laskey, H. M. 
Lawrence, G. J. 
Lawson, W. H. 
Leatherwood, W. M. 
Lee, Ernest 
Lee, Thorn. M. 
Leitner, F. 
Lewis, W. C. 



Lewis, A. C. 
Lewis, Frank 
Leinback, W. A. 
Linke, E. 0. 
Linsley, M. G. 
Lirette, A. H. 
Little, J. E. 
McKinstry, G. C. 
Marshall, Robt. H. 
Maxville, W. D. 
Mayhill, R. P. 
Mikesell, L. G. 
Miller, John G. 
Miller, J. J. 
Morgan, Edw. V. 
Murphy, D. A. 
Murray, Frank 
Nay, Leon 
Noggle, L. 
Obendorff, Aug. 
Olson, Wm. L. 
Palmer, A. 0. 
Parker, H. J. 
Peake, W. M. 
Pirtle, R. W. 
Pope, L. W. 
Porche, J. E. 
Powell, D. H. 



26 



ORGANIZATION AND 



Privates — Continued 



Purcell, L. W. 
Rains, H. L. 
Randell, A. 0. 
Raybrook, E. J. 
Rea, Wm. C. 
Redona, Juan B. 
Rector, J. P. 
Reeves, Curtis 0. 
Rice, F. L. 
Richmond, M. I. 
Riley, C. A. 
Rittenberry, C. L. 
Roddam, Ross 
Roof, Walter M. 
Rosa, Agapito M. 
Rundell, H. 0. 
Russell, W. W. 
Ryza, Emil A. 
Safford, John B. 
Sargeant, Dean R. 



Scarborough, M. M. 
Schnebeli, J. 
Schoen, Carl 
Schreiber, H. 
Schroeder, Fritz 
Schultz, P. 
Selkirk, Ben 
Shanklin, H. E. 
Spurlock, A. H. 
Stoenner, E. D. 
Strother, W. L. 
Sutton, Wm. E. 
Thayer, F. D. 
Thorpe, J. 

VanDenBussell, Paul 
VanWallegham, M. 
Watson, Melvin 
Weeks, J. W. 
West, R. 



AND MOVEMENTS 27 



CHAPTER III. 
Record of Stations and Movements 

On August 5th, 1917, by executive order 
dated Aug. 3rd, the entire National Guard was 
inducted into the Federal Service and by Gen. 
Order No. 5, A. G. 0., State of Missouri, troops 
ordered to their camps; Battery "E" camping 
opposite the fire station at Admiral and Lydia 
Ave., Kansas City, Mo., until ordered to pre- 
cede the regiment to Camp Doniphan (Ft. Sill) 
Okla., leaving Kansas City Aug. 23rd, arriving 
at Fort Sill the 25th, 3 :40 A. M. Quarters were 
not complete and the battery was camped on 
North side of area, moving to the South (artil- 
lery) area Sept. 21st. The remainder of the 
regiment arriving September 30th, 1917. 

The intervening period prior to leaving for 
Camp Mills, Long Island, N. Y., May 10th, 1918, 
was one of hard work for everyone. 

On May 20th, 1918, the battery sailed from 
New York on H. M. S. "Saxonia." 



28 RECORD OF STATIONS 

June 5th, disembarked at Tilbury Dock 
(South London) England. We boarded train 
for Winchester. On the 7th we resumed travel 
by rail to Southampton and boarded a small 
channel steamer crossing to La Havre, France, 
that night, spending the following day and 
night on heights above that city. The 9th we 
were loaded in box cars and journeyed to Mont- 
riel-Belfroi (near Angers), from there the bat- 
tery marched to Chevalier Farm. 

July 9th the regiment entrained for Guer, 
from which point they marched to Camp Coet- 
quidan, where years ago the great Napoleon had 
a camp. July 16th the first firing was done with 
the French guns, and realistic work carried on 
energetically until Aug. 15th when we took 
train for the Vosges Mts. (Gerardmer) passing 
through Versailles, and back of the lines south- 
west of Chateau Thierry. 

Here follows extracts from Condensed Oper- 
ations Report, from August 7th, 1918, to March 
6th, 1919. 

"Per Par. 3, Field Order No. 23, Hdqrs. 35th 
Division, 16th Aug. 1918, upon arrival of the 
regiment in Gerardmer and vicinity the batter- 
ies were billeted for forty-eight hours' rest. 
Regl. Hdqrs., Hdqrs. Co., Supply Co., Infirmary 
with batteries A and B billeted in Gerardmer, 
batteries C and D at La Tholy and batteries E 



AND MOVEMENTS 29 

and F at La Forge. In compliance with the same 
order the regiment made ready to relieve ar- 
tillery units and occupy positions designated, 
and in manner specified in an order issued 19th 
of August by Chef d'Ecsadron Bouet Command- 
ing the North Segment of 35th Div. Sector, on 
heights of Vosges Mts., west of Colmar. 

"On 21st of Aug. at 7 hr (A. M.), the battal- 
ion and battery commanders with their person- 
nel went forward on reconnoissance as out- 
lined in above mentioned order. 

"On the night of the 22nd-23rd of Aug., one 
platoon of each battery proceeded to their re- 
spective positions and on the night of the 23rd- 
24th the remaining platoons were brought up 
and occupied positions designated in the area 
north of Col de la Schlucht and including the 
Region of the Lakes (des Lacs). Echelons were 
established as follows, the second battalion, Le 
Valtin ; Hdqrs. Co., the first battalion and Regl. 
Infirmary at Retournemer; Supply Co., at Lon- 
gemer. The first battalion First Aid Station 
near Gazon Martin (E battery station) and the 
second battalion at P. C. Richard (lac Noir) . 

"Immediately upon relief of the French units 
the batteries assumed the missions of the de- 
fense of the sector as transmitted to their com- 
manders by the commanders of the relieved 
units, particular attention being paid to the pre- 



30 RECORD OF STATIONS 

cautionary measures outlined in Special Orders 
NT 6.460, Artillerie de 33rd Corps d'Armee, 
19th of Aug. 1918, by Lt. Col. Delaroche and as 
supplemented by G. 0. 30 Hdqrs. 128th F. A., 
dated 25th of August. 

"All lines of communication, posts of obser- 
vation and liaison were established in compli- 
ance with Memo. Hdqrs. 128th F. A. dated 26th. 

"Additional instructions as to the defense of 
the sector were promulgated and certain mis- 
sions as existing modified in F. 0. No. 4 Hdqrs. 
Field Artillery North Segment 35th Div. Sector, 
dated 27th of Aug. 1918. For tactical purposes 
the north Segment, 35th Div. Sector was divid- 
ed into three sub-groupings, viz: Region of the 
Lakes (des Lacs), Bischstein and Gaschney. The 
artillery of the subsegment des Lacs, consisting 
of the 1st and 2nd Batteries, 1st R. A. M., (Reg- 
iment d'Artillerie de Montague) French Army 
and batteries E and F, 128th U. S. F. A., were 
placed under command of Maj. Daniel F. Jones. 
The artillery of the subsegment Bischstein and 
Gaschney consisting of the 1st and 2nd Batter- 
ies, 51st R. A. C, French Army and batteries A, 
B, C and D, 128th U. S. F. A. were placed under 
the command of Major Horace S. Rumsey, with 
the Major of the French artillery at Mathilde 
acting as advisor to both subsegments. 

"Under direction of the Commanding General 



AND MOVEMENTS 31 

60th F. A. Brigade August 28th, batteries of 
the 128th F. A. participated in a special mission, 
firing, concentrated fire, using Gas SheH No. 5. 
This mission was accomplished at 20 hr (8 P. 
M.) Aug. 29th, batteries A and B of this regi- 
ment participating, taking position and firing 
upon targets assigned as per Secret Order, 
Hdqrs. 128th F. A. 

"At 18 hr (6 P. M.), the 1st of Sept. 1918, the 
batteries of this regiment were relieved of their 
mission of barrage and counter-preparation and 
withdrew from the line to their echelons as per 
F. 0. No. 5, Hdqrs. 128th F. A. August 31st. 

"All communications were left intact, all 
trench and special equipment such as Gas 
Equipment, etc., and all sector equipment in- 
cluding maps, records and plan of defense was 
left to relieving troops, as per Secret Order No. 
79, Hdqrs. 35th Div., dated August 30th. All 
munitions excepting sufficient amounts of 
shrapnel and H. E. shell to fill caissons to the 
proportion of 1/5 shrapnel to 4/5 H. E. shell 
were turned over to relieving troops. 

"In compliance with F. 0. No. 5, Hdqrs. 128th 
F. A., Aug. 31st, all organizations of this regi- 
ment left their echelons the night of 2nd-3rd of 
September and marched to regroupment zone. 
1st Battalion Hdqrs., Batteries A and B, from 
Retournemer via Garardmer, Granges, Aumont- 



32 RECORD OF STATIONS 

zey to Leveline-devant-Bruyeres. Supply Co., 
from Longemer, via same route to same place. 
Hdqrs. Co., from Retournemer via Gerardmer, 
Granges, Aumontzey, Laveline-devant-Bruyeres 
to Biff ontaine and thence, (not being sufficient 
room there) about four kilometers further tow- 
ards La Housserie where they were billeted at 
an abandoned farm ; 2nd Battalion Hdqrs., Bat- 
teries C. D. E and F from Le Valtin via Plain- 
fang Fraize, Corcieux, La Chappelle where 2nd 
Battalion Hdqrs., Batteries E and F were billet- 
ed. Batteries C and D proceeding on to Les 
Pouileres. Reml. Hdqrs. and Infirmary were es- 
tablished at Biffontaine. All organizations were 
in and liaison between the units established dur- 
ing the day of Sept. 3rd. 

"In accordance with F. 0. No. 35, Hdqrs. 35th 
Div. dated 2nd of September this regiment pre- 
pared to move into the Rosaries area and in 
compliance with Secret Order No. 90 Hdqrs. 
35th Div. dated 3rd of September and F. 0. No. 
6 Hdqrs., 128th F. A., dated the 4th, moved to 
the designated area by trains as follows : Train 
No. 1, Regl. Hdqrs., Hdqrs. Co., and Supply Co., 
loaded at La Chappelle at 16 hr. (4 P. M.) the 
5th of Sept. Train No. 2, Battery A loaded at 
La Chappelle at 20 hr. (8 P. M.) the 5th. Train 
No. 3, 1st Battalion Hdqrs. and Battery C, load- 
ed at Corcieux at 20:45 (8:45 P. M.), the 5th. 



AND MOVEMENTS 33 

Train No. 4, Battery B, loaded at La Chappelle 
at hr. (Midnight) the 5th. Train No. 5, Bat- 
tery D, loaded at Corcieux at 0:45 hr. (12:45 
A. M.) the 6th. Train No. 6, Battery E, loaded 
at La Chappelle at 3 hr (3 A. M.) the 6th. 
Train No. 7, 2nd Battalion Hdqrs, and Battery 
F, loaded at Corcieux at 4:45 hr. (4:45 A. M.) 
the 6th. The regulating officer at Epinal handed 
to the senior officer of each train instructions 
relative to the detraining point, also the route 
which he would follow in marching to the area 
in which his organization was to be billeted. 
Regl. Hdqrs., Infirmary, Hdqrs. Co., and Bat- 
tery A were located at St. Nicholas-du-Port ; 
1st Battalion Hdqrs. Batteries B and C and 
Supply Co., at Lupcourt ; 2nd Battalion Hdqrs., 
Batteries D and F at Fleville. Battery E at 
a farm out of Fleville in the direction of Nancy. 
During the time the regiment remained in this 
area all equipment was put in the best possible 
condition and preparation made for further 
movements. 

"In compliance with F. 0. No. 35, Hdqrs., 
35th Div. 10th of September 1918, and F. 0. No. 
7, Hdqrs., 128th F. A. same date the organiza- 
tions of this regiment moved north from their 
respective stations to bivouac in woods S. E. 
of Tomblaine. The movement started at 20 hr. 
(8 P. M.), Sept. 10th, Batteries B, C, D, E, F 



34 RECORD OF STATIONS 

and Supply Co., moving via Lupcourt, Ville-en- 
Vermois to St. Nicholas-du-Port clearing Ville- 
en-Vermois at 21 :30 hr. (9:30 P. M.). As soon 
as the 129th F. A. cleared St. Nicholas-du-Port 
this regiment continued the movement via Art- 
sur-Meurthe to woods S. E. of Tomblaine where 
all organizations were under cover by 4 hr. 
(4 A. M.), Sept. 11th, 1918. 

"(Note) — From this date until further refer- 
ence is made the regiment was moved on mem- 
oranda, and on verbal order from the Com- 
manding General, 60th F. A. Brigade, issued 
as the occasion demanded. Field officers and 
battery commanders making reconnoissance on 
heights beyond Nancy preparatory to St. Mihiel 
offensive. 

"On the night of llth-12th of Sept., 1918, 
starting at 19 hr. (7 P. M.), the regiment pro- 
ceeded through Nancy to bivouac in woods 
north of Five Forks (los Cinq Tranchees), about 
eight kilometers beyond Nancy. The regiment 
maintained this position during the opening of 
the St. Mihiel offensive on the 12th, 13th and 
14th. 

"At 19 hr (7 P. M.), the 14th, the regiment 
moved forward in a westerly direction via Gon- 
dreville, La Champagne going into Bivouac in 
Bois de Villy, Ste. Etienne about six kilometers 
N. E. of Toul. 



AND MOVEMENTS 35 

"At 19 hr. (7 P. M.), the 15th, the regiment 
moved forward via Toul, Foug, Lay St. Pagny- 
sur-Meuse, Ourches to Bois de Void. Regl. 
Hdqrs. was established at Ourches and the regi- 
ment rested here in bivouac for twenty-four 
hours. 

"At 20 hr. (8 P. M.), the 17th, the regiment 
moved forward via Void, between which point 
and Menil-la-Horgne the movement of the en- 
tire column was delayed for several hours by 
heavy movement of truck trains. The march 
was continued past Saulx-en-Barrois, through 
St. Aubin, Nancois-le-Grand, about six kilo- 
meters beyond where the regiment arrived at 
13 hr. (1 P. M.), the 18th, having fed men and 
animals during the delays. 

"At 21 hr. (9 P. M.), the 18th, the regiment 
moved forward via Nancois-le-Petite, Guerlont, 
Silmont, Culey, Resson to bivouac in Foret de 
Ste. Genevieve arriving there about 7 hr. (7 A. 
M.), the 19th. 

"At 1 hr. (A. M.), the 20th, the regiment 
moved forward via Erize-St. Dizier, Rumont, 
Seigneulles, Hargeville Genicourt-sous-Conde, 
Conde-en-Barrois, thence through Rembercourt 
to within about one kilometer of Sommaisne 
where at 14 hr. (2 P. M.), the column was halt- 
ed by the Commanding General, 60th F. A. Bri- 



36 RECORD OF STATIONS 

gade and instructions given to feed, water and 
rest for five hours. 

"At 19 hr. (7 P. M.), the 20th, the regiment 
moved forward via Sommaisne, Pritz-en- 
Argonne-Foucaucourt, Fleury-sur-Aire, Autre- 
court, Froidos to bivouac in woods west of Rare- 
court arriving at 8:30 hr. (A. M.), the 21st of 
September. 

"During the day of the 22nd the batteries 
remained in bivouac in woods, getting ready to 
go into action, by stripping of all equipment not 
essential to actual fighting. 

"At 9 hr. (A. M.), the 23rd, the Commanding 
officer, Col. Frank M. Rumbold with Lieutenant 
Chevillard, liaison officer from the French 
Army, and Lieut. Goodyear, operations officer, 
128th F. A., accompanied the Commanding 
General 60th F. A. Brigade on reconnoissance. 
At this time the Commanding General indicated 
the area in which this regiment would take posi- 
tion. Due to physical condition later it became 
necessary for Colonel Rumbold to relinquish 
command of the regiment and he was evacuated 
to the hospital that same evening, Lt. Col. 
Walter J. Warner assuming command. 

"At 19 hr. (7 P. M.), the 23rd of September, 
in compliance with verbal instructions from the 
Commanding General 60th F. A. Brig., the regi- 
ment moved from the woods west of Rarecourt 



AND MOVEMENTS 37 

in order as follows : 1st Battalion Hdqrs., Bat- 
teries A, B and C, 2nd Battalion Hdqrs., Bat- 
teries D, E and F, proceeded via Auxeville, 
Clermont-en-Argonne and Neuvilly. The 1st 
Battalion proceeded to position about 2.5 kilo- 
meters N. E. of Neuvilly. The 2nd Battalion 
proceeded about one kilometer north of Neuvilly 
on the Neuvilly-Boureuilles road, taking position 
on the southern slope of Les Cotes des Fori- 
ment (Hill 241). Forward echelons were estab- 
lished under the best cover available in and 
around Aubreville, the rear echelons being 
temporarily maintained in the woods west of 
Rarecourt. 

"In compliance with F. 0. No. 44 Hdqrs., 35th 
Div., the 24th of September, and Annex No. 1- 
to F. 0. No. 44 Hdqrs., 60th F. A. Brig., same 
date the regiment made the necessary prepara- 
tions to execute the missions mentioned therein 
as pertained to it. All lines of communication 
and liaison were established; Radio stations put 
in operation and the coordinates of the panels 
sent in. The 1st Aid dressing stations were 
located with relation to the batteries. 

"In compliance with Secret Field Order No. 9, 
Hdqrs., 60th F. A. Brig., dated 25th and F. 0. 
No. 10, Hdqrs., 128th F. A., same date the bat- 
teries of this regiment prepared the data neces- 
sary to carry out the missions assigned to them, 



38 RECORD OF STATIONS 

in above mentioned orders. 

"The 1st Battalion was designated to fire on 
fugitive targets in liaison with the aeroplane 
service and when not so engaged to execute 
fire of interdiction on areas designated in Par. 3 
F. 0. No. 10 Hdqrs., 128th F. A. Upon the same 
authorization this Battalion participated in the 
barrage mission from H hour plus 131 to H hour 
plus 150, covering the right of the sector. Upon 
telephonic orders from Hdqrs., 60th F. A. Brig., 
received at 3 :30 hr. (A. M.) the 26th of Septem- 
ber, the first Battalion was directed to place 
smoke screen in front of designated enemy guns 
to cover the advance of friendly tanks. This 
mission being executed from H hr. plus 25 to 
H hr. plus 50, in compliance with above men- 
tioned paragraphs of F. O. No. 9 and 10, the 
2nd Battalion executed the mission of barrage 
from H hr. to H hr. plus 150 (2 hours, 30 min.). 

"At 8:30 hr. (A. M.), the 26th, the Battalions 
took preliminary measures to move forward. 
Upon telephonic orders from Hdqrs., 60th F. A. 
Brig., the 2nd Battalion moved forward on the 
Neuvilly-Boureuilles road as far as mined area, 
about one kilometer west of Buzemount, E bat- 
tery being the leading battery, and being unable 
to proceed farther on this road, crossed to the 
field south of Boureuilles. One battery being 
placed in position so as to fire on targets desig- 



AND MOVEMENTS 39 

nated by infantry liaison. The 1st Battalion 
moved forward on the road to the north of Les 
Cotes des Forimont toward Buzemount, thence 
toward Boureuilles where it was held up by road 
congestion. At 19:30 hr (7:30 P. M.), the regi- 
ment took position south of hill 239, remaining 
there until 6:30 hr. (A. M.) the 27th. 

"On the morning of the 27th the 2nd Bat- 
talion moved forward occupying position on Hill 
221, in accordance with Field Message. The 
1st Battalion remaining in position covering 
this advance, and having been completed, it 
moved forward occupying position north of 
Cheppy. In compliance with Field Message 
dated the 27th, the 2nd Battalion executed zone 
fire on area mentioned therein. 

"At 6 hr. (A. M.), the 28th, the 2nd Battalion 
moved forward via Cheppy and Very, occupying 
position on Hill 218 west of Very. Immediately 
on getting in position the batteries of the 2nd 
Battalion delivered harassing fire on enemy 
strong points, and in compliance with instruc- 
tions in Field Message from Commanding Gen- 
eral 60th F. A. Brig., dated the 28th, delivered 
barrage as directed therein. The rate and dura- 
tion of fire was controlled by telephonic orders 
from the Commanding General 60th F. A. Brig. 

"As soon as the 2nd Battalion was in position 
on the hill west of Very, the 1st Battalion, 



40 RECORD OF STATIONS 

which had covered the advance, moved forward 
from its position at Cheppy, upon verbal orders 
from the Commanding General 60th F. A. Brig. 
The order being to move via Very to position 
near Charpentry; The Commanding Officer of 
the 1st Battalion, Major Horace S. Rumsey, to 
establish his own mission by directly supporting 
the infantry. This was executed as directed. 
Liaison with the infantry was established and 
fire delivered the afternoon of the 28th of Sep- 
tember. 

"At 5:30 hr. (A. M.), the 29th, the regiment 
executed barrage mission as ordered in F. M. 
No. 10, Hdqrs., 60th F. A. Brig., dated 28th. 

"Throughout the day the 1st Battalion ex- 
ecuted fire on strong points, which were causing 
difficulties to our infantry, as called for by In- 
fantry Commanders, and upon points also giv- 
ing trouble as observed from the 1st Battalions' 
O. P. established in Baulney. 

"At 13:30 hr. (1:30 P. M.), the 29th upon 
verbal orders from the Commanding General 
60th F. A. Brig., the 2nd Battalion delivered 
standing barrage on front of 1200 meters along 
road near Apremont. 

"According to exigencies of the situation 
normal barrages were planned to give the great- 
est protection to our lines, and were laid as the 
position of our lines changed. Barrage held 



AND MOVEMENTS 41 

preference over all other fire and was executed 
on calls from the infantry. 

"On telephonic orders from Hdqrs., 60th F. A. 
Brig., the 2nd Battalion fired accompanying 
barrage at 8:30 hr. (A.M.), over area 1000 
meters in depth. The 1st Battalion continued 
their mission of direct support of the infantry. 

"At 9 hr. (A. M.), the 1st of October, on 
telephonic orders from Hdqrs., 60th F. A. Brig., 
the regiment executed fire of neutralization in 
support of the infantry. Fire continued until 
10:10 hr. (A. M.), when it was stopped on or- 
ders from Hdqrs. 60th F. A. Brig. 

"At 14 hr. (2 P. M.), the regiment executed 
Zone Fire over area north of Chadron Farm, for 
10 minutes as per order from 60th F. A. Brig. 
All batteries then resumed Normal barrage 
mission. 

"The 1st Div., having relieved the 35th Div., 
with exception of the artillery, this regiment in 
compliance with F. O. No. 45 Hdqrs., 1st Div., 
dated the 1st of Oct., was prepared to be re- 
lieved during the night of lst-2nd. Upon later 
orders, namely amendment to F. O. No. 45 as 
above and F. O. No. 9 Hdqrs. 60th F. A. Brig., 
dated the 2nd, the regiment continued its mis- 
sion until relieved by the 1st Div. artillery mid- 
night of 2nd-3rd. 

"During the night of lst-2nd, the 1st Bat- 



42 RECORD OF STATIONS 

talion was subjected to heavy concentration of 
mustard gas. In view of this condition orders 
were issued to evacuate the area but to leave 
guns in position and laid; and to remain suffi- 
ciently close by to fire in case of necessity. At 
12:20 hr. (12:20 P. M.), the 2nd Battalion ex- 
ecuted concentrated fire on enemy strong 
points. 

"At 1 hr. (A. M.), the 3rd of October, upon 
telephonic information from Hdqrs. 60th F. A. 
Brig., the regiment was advised that the relief 
by the artillery of the 1st Div. had been accom- 
plished and that the regiment was to withdraw 
in compliance with F. 0. No. 9 Hdq. 60th F. A. 
Brig., dated the 2nd. The 2nd Battalion with- 
drew via Very, Cheppy and Varennes to area 
in woods south of Varennes where bivouac was 
made. Maj. Horace S. Rumsey, commanding the 
1st Battalion upon receipt of orders for with- 
drawal turned his command over to Capt. San- 
ford. Maj. Rumsey suffering from gas burns, 
was evacuated to the hospital. The 1st Bat- 
talion withdrew via Charpentry and Varennes 
to the woods south of Varennes where bivouac 
for the day was made. 

"At 18 hr. (6 P. M.), the 3rd, the regiment 
proceeded toward the regroupement area arriv- 
ing near Les-Islettee about 5 hr. (A.M.), the 
4th where the regiment went into bivouac. 



AND MOVEMENTS 43 

"At 13 hr. (1 P. M.), the regiment moved for- 
ward to Camp Cotte where bivouac for the 
night was made. In compliance with F. 0. No. 
53 Hdqrs., 35th Div., dated the 4th, the regi- 
ment resumed the march at 7 hr. (A. M.), the 
5th, proceeding via Waly, Evres, Sommaisne, 
Rembercourt aux Pots, Marats la Petite, Marars 
la Grande and Seigneulles, where bivouac for 
the night was made along the road. 

"At 8 hr. (A. M.), the 6th, the regiment 
moved into the area designated for billeting. 
Regl. Hdqrs., Hdqrs Co., 1st Battalion Hdqrs. 
and batteries A and C, located at Rosnes, 2nd 
Battalion Hdqrs., batteries B, D, E, F and Sup- 
ply Co., located in Erize la Brulee. 

"From the 6th to the morning of the 12th of 
October the regiment remained in the rest bil- 
lets above mentioned. New clothing was issued 
to replace that which had been subjected to the 
gas attack. Material and equipment gone over 
and the reorganization of the command per- 
fected. 

"At 8 hr. (A. M.), the 12th, the regiment 
moved from its present location in compliance 
with F. 0. No. 54 Hdqrs. 35th Div., dated the 
11th proceeding via Belrain, Pierrefitte, Cou- 
rouve and Thiilombois, where bivouac was made 
for the night. 

"At 18 hr. (6 P. M.), the 13th, the regiment 



44 RECORD OF STATIONS 

moved forward to the Sommedieu area in com- 
pliance with F. 0. No. 56 Hdqrs. 35th Div., dated 
the 13th, proceeding via Villers, Genicourt to 
Bois Sec, where camp was made. 

"On the night of 14th-15th, in compliance 
with above order and verbal instructions from 
the Commanding General 60th F. A. Brig., the 
regiment moved out of Bois Sec to relieve the 
artillery units of the 15th D. I. C. (French) on 
the Sommedieu Sector east of Verdun. 

"All lines of communication and liaison were 
installed. Plans for the defense of the sector 
assumed, being those turned over by the re- 
lieved units. 

"In compliance with F. 0. No. 57 Hdqrs. 35th 
Div., dated the 16th, the artillery fire of this 
sector was confined strictly to actual demands 
for defense of the sector. 

"At 17 hr. (5 P. M.), the 18th, plans for the 
defense of the sector were modified to comply 
with F. 0. No. 11 Hdqrs. 60th F. A. Brig. As 
soon as a battery was thoroughly overhauled in 
the M. 0. R. S., it was brought back into posi- 
tion to relieve another. 

"At 5 hr. (A. M.), the 20th, defensive bar- 
rage was fired on telephone call from Infantry 
Hdqrs. 

"During the night of 21st-22nd, defensive 



AND MOVEMENTS 45 

barrage was fired three different times on 
rocket and telephone call from infantry. 

"At 8 hr. (A. M.), the 26th, the regiment as- 
sumed protective barrage missions as set forth 
in F. 0. No. 15 Hdqrs. 60th F. A. Brig. The 
protective barrage mission for this regiment re- 
mained unchanged by F. 0. No. 20 Hdqrs., 60th 
F. A. Brig., dated the 29th of October. 

"By virtue of F. 0. No. 67 Hdqrs., 35th Div., 
dated the 4th of November, the infantry of the 
35th Div. was relieved by the infantry of the 
81st Div. The artillery of the 35th Div. remain- 
ing in position, taking up the support of the 
81st Div. All communication and liaison were 
established at once. 

"On the morning of the 7th of November, one 
battery of this regiment opened fire for neutral- 
ization as per F. 0. No. 25 Hdqrs. 60th F. A. 
Brig., dated the 6th. 

"In compliance with F. 0. No. 26 Hdqrs. 60th 
F. A. Brig., dated the 9th, the batteries of this 
regiment delivered preparatory fire on the areas 
designated in par. 10, of F. 0. No. 26, for the 
purpose of silencing enemy machine guns. Fire 
opened at 7:30 hr. (A.M.), and concluded at 9 
hr. (A.M.), firing 2979 rounds. Upon comple- 
tion of firing at 9 hr. (A.M.), in compliance 
with par. 13, of above order and telephonic in- 
structions from Hdqrs., 60th F. A. Brig., bat- 



46 RECORD OF STATIONS 

teries E, B and A, designated for tactical pur- 
poses as the 1st Battalion, 128th F. A., with- 
drew from positions prepared to advance as ae- 
companing batteries with the attack of the 81st 
Div. Inf., and moved out on the National High- 
way No. 3, (Verdun-Metz Road), taking with 
them all available caissons filled in the follow- 
ing proportions: caissons with N. E. Normal, 
pieces and caisson limbers with shrapnel. 

"At 9 hr. (A. M.), in accordance with par. 13, 
of F. O. No. 26, Hdq. 60th F. A. Brig., the com- 
mand of the three batteries E, A and B passed 
from Commanding Officer, 128th F. A. to the 
Commanding General, 162nd Infantry Brigade 
81st Div. 

"At 10 hr. (A.M.), the 9th of November 
1918, the Commanding General, 162nd Inf. 
Brig., telephoned, through liaison officer, 1st 
Lieut. E. S. Butts, that the road to Haudiamont 
was clear and that the artillery Battalion Com- 
mander was to report to him at P. C. Bordeaux 
and to further instruct the three batteries to 
move forward on the Verdun-Metz Road toward 
Haudiamont, beyond which point they could not 
proceed because the advance had not yet pro- 
gressed to sufficient depth to permit permanent 
occupation of any forward positions. 

"At 17:55 hr. (5:55 P. M.), the 9th Batteries 
C and D fired special ten minute barrage on U 



AND MOVEMENTS 47 

27.14 to U 37.07 upon request of Commanding 
General, 162nd Inf. Brig. 

"Upon authorization of the Commanding 
General, 162nd Inf. Brig., batteries of the 1st 
Battalion were returned to their original posi- 
tions and a forward echelon was established 
near by at about 17 hr. (5 P. M.). 

"During the night of the 9th-10th of Nov. 
batteries of the 1st battalion were laid on pro- 
tective barrage mission as follows : 

Battery E, U23.5-12 to U29-00.5 

Battery A, U29-00.5 to U33-09 

Battery B, U33-09 to U37.5-07.5 

"Batteries of the 2nd Battalion were held in 
readiness to fire on telephonic instructions, a 
barrage covering the front extending in a 
general line from U 68-03 to U 99-00 to U 37-14. 

"At 6 hr. (A. M.), the 10th, upon authoriza- 
tion from the Commanding General, 162nd Inf. 
Brig., Battery A fired 100 rounds (accompan- 
ing barrage) beginning N. W. corner La Noir 
Haie (U 40-10) and proceeding N. E. for 200 
meters to permit advance of one Battalion of 
the 324th Inf. 81st Div. 

"At 1 :30 hr. (A. M.), the 10th, Batteries E, A 
and B fired barrage, as mentioned above on the 
9th-10th, with change, in the increase of range 



48 RECORD OF STATIONS 

300 meters. At 12:35 hr. (P. M.), same date 
batteries E and A fired the same mission with 
increase on range of 100 meters. At 16 hr. (4 
P. M.), battery A fired for destruction 50 rounds 
on strong point U 64-20.5. Total foregoing fired 
875. 

"During the night of lOth-llth, the regiment 
laid on protective barrage on line U 27.8-14.1 to 
U 41.3-14.2 to U 46.4-10.2. 

"In compliance with F. O. No. 2 Hdqrs., 162nd 
Inf. Brig., dated the 10th of November, the fol- 
lowing missions were assigned to the 1st Bat- 
talion to cover the advance of the 323rd Inf. 
Battery E fired on Chateau des Hannoncelles 
from 6:45 to 7:45 hr. (A.M.), the 11th. Bat- 
tery B fired on La Noir Haie U42.6 to U46.8from 
6 :45 to 7 :45 hr. (A. M.) . Battery A fired on the 
S. E. edge of Bois de Manhuelles (U 33.4 to U 
37.5-08) from 6:45 to 7:45 hr (A. M.). Rounds 
fired 720. 

"At 8:45 hr. (A. M.), the 11th of Nov., Bat- 
tery E fired for destruction on strong point 
Chauteau des Hannoncelles concluding at 9:10 
hr. (A. M.). Battery B fired on Ville-en-Woevre 
from 8:55 to 9:10 hr. (A. M.) Battery A fired 
on U 64-20.3 from 8:55 to 9:10 hr. (A.M.). 
Upon request of the Commanding General, 
162nd Inf. Brig., and upon authorization by 
60th F. A. Brig., Battery D fired for destruction 



AND MOVEMENTS 49 

from 10:25 to 10:45 hr. (A. M.) on U 38.14. 
Rounds fired 923. 

"At 11 hr. (A.M.) the 11th of November 

1918, all firing was stopped per order and bat- 
teries E, A and B resumed status held prior to 
morning of the 9th. 

"At 5 hr. (A.M.), the 17th of Nov., the 1st 
Division took over the line outposts. At that 
hour this regiment was relieved of its mission 
as per F. 0. No. 27 Hdqrs. 60th F. A. Brig., 
dated the 16th. 

"About 8:30 (A.M.) the 22nd of January 

1919, the regiment left its position, and pro- 
ceeded, by marching, via Sommedieu, Genicourt 
to Thillombois where bivouac for night was 
made. 

"The march was resumed at 8 hr. (A.M.), 
the 23rd, proceeding via Pierrefitte, Lavalle to 
Lignieres, where 1st Battalion Hdqrs., batteries 
A and C were billeted; the remainder of the 
regiment proceeding on to Dagonville where 
Regimental Hdqrs., Hdqrs. Co., Supply Co. and 
battery B were billeted; 2nd Battalion Hdqrs. 
and battery F proceeded to Grimacourt. Bat- 
teries D and E to Cousance, where they were 
billeted. 

"About 15 hr. (3 P. M.), the 6th of March, 
in compliance with F. O. No. 3, Order No. 124 
and Annex 1, 2 and 3 Hdqrs., 35th Div., dated 



50 RECORD OF STATIONS 

the 27th of February 1919, and F. 0. No. 1 
Hdqrs. 128th F. A. dated the 5th of March, 
the regiment proceeded by marching; Hdqrs. 
Co. and 1st Battalion via Dagonville, Sal Mange ; 
2nd Battalion via Loxeville, Willeroncourt Nan- 
cois le Petite to Nancois-Tronville. The 1st 
Battalion entrained and departed at 22:56 
(10:56 P. M.), the 6th. Regimentals Hdqrs. 
Hdqrs. Co., Supply Co. and 2nd Battalion en- 
training and departed at 6:30 hr. (A. M.) the 
7th for the Le Mans area." 

The regiment moved by train, from the Le 
Mans area on the 31st of March, for Brest, the 
Port of Embarkation, and sailed for the United 
States the 11th of April, on H. M. S. "Vedic", 
arriving in Boston April 22nd and took train for 
Camp Devens, Mass., leaving that camp April 
27th for Camp Funston, Kans., arriving there 
May 1st, and was mustered out of the service 
May 2nd, 1919. 



ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 51 



CHAPTER IV. 

Incidents Prior to Arrival in France. 

In the Sunday edition of the Kansas City 
Star July 22nd, 1917, an announcement appear- 
ed of the forming of a new Kansas City bat- 
tery of artillery. The notice told of the ad- 
vantages of belonging to a home organization, 
and asked for volunteers. Enlistments in Bat- 
tery E of the First Missouri Field Artillery 
were taken at the gas office, 910 Grand Ave. 
Five days later at a meeting in Convention Hall, 
the following officers were elected: Captain l! 
L. Bucklew, Lt. A. L. Sawyer, Lt. E. C. Reilly, 
Lt. C. L. Mars, Lt. R. J. McMurray. 

From time of enlistment to August 5th, 1917, 
in Kansas City, it was not only a wild scramble' 
to secure full strength, but to get men who were 
good material for non-commissioned officers, 
and specialists such as are required in the artil- 
lery. None of the enlisted men had artillery ex- 
perience; a few had been in other branches of 



52 INCIDENTS PRIOR TO 

the Service, and their experience was of great 
value in helping instill the rudiments of soldier- 
ing into the rest of the Battery. Joyce R. 
Snyder was appointed 1st Sergt, and his long 
experience in the National Guard was a great 
help, for he had the appearance and manner 
necessary to handle recruits, and knew the 
game, which he played as an old soldier. There 
were several others, who also knew the ropes, 
and with their help it was possible to set down 
the principles and spirit of the Battery, which 
was to mean so much to us later. 

Several evenings were spent in squad drill 
at Convention Hall before we were called out; 
an amusing incident of these drills was that of 
"Dad" Geenans, who was discovered marching 
at attention, with his pipe in his mouth; he 
readily removed it when told to do so, but drill- 
ing was hard work, and out would come the pipe 
again. It was on one of these evenings that two 
Philippinos, Rosa and Redona, were discovered 
as observers ; it developed that Rosa was raised 
north of Lipa, Luzon, where Capt. Bucklew had 
served in the U. S. Army in 1899. Rosa and 
Redona enlisted that same evening. 

As members of the National Guard of Mis- 
souri we were preparing to assemble August 5th 
in response to the "Call." Some were making 
hurried trips to their homes out of the city for 



ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 53 

a farewell. All could not go home, for we had 
men from all parts of the United States, Can- 
ada, Scotland, Ireland, Belgium. Later there 
joined us Brown, the American Indian, who was 
followed by men from Italy, Russia and other 
countries. 

The morning of August 5th, 1917, in answer 
to the President's call, 139 men were present 
at Admiral Bvld. and Lydia Ave., where our 
camp was located until the latter part of the 
month. Complete uniforms were not available, 
but what was originally called "Bucklew's 
Army" did not wait for uniforms to learn to 
perform the duties of a soldier ; they soon mas- 
tered the rudiments. Mrs. Mars and Mrs. Dixie 
Newland provided blankets. Chas. J. Carter 
raised funds among lumbermen to buy shoes 
and socks. Baker & Lockwood loaned tents and 
cots. Efforts of Mrs. Severance and Miss Lillian 
Bucklew brought results, and Mrs. Fuller of the 
Red Cross supplied toilet articles. The Govern- 
ment supplies came slowly, and if it had not 
been for the generosity of these good people 
many of the men would have suffered. Later a 
Battery Roster was printed with paid advertise- 
ments, which enabled us to start a battery fund. 

The battery was isolated from other troops, 
and being part of a St. Louis regiment was dub- 
bed "The Orphan Battery." Our isolation 



54 INCIDENTS PRIOR TO 

helped us, as it permitted the training of a small 
unit in the basic principles of soldiering as plan- 
ned, and there was no interruption of the policy, 
for the isolation continued for some weeks; so 
that by the last of October the battery as an 
organization was functioning properly; each 
one understanding just what was expected. The 
battery had that great thing called discipline, 
the thing that is the keynote of a soldier's suc- 
cessful training, and without which soldiers are 
little more than a mob. 

We had our comedy: as an illustration, one 
man who had been reprimanded, and upon being 
brought to Lt. Sawyer, offered the latter a dime 
to get a cigar, evidently to square the matter. 
This man's later faithful service, as well as the 
faithful service of others, wiped out their early 
errors, and gave much satisfaction to those in 
command. 

Full of life as the men were, and up to as 
many tricks as young boys would pull off, they 
were a source of great pride; never were sol- 
diers more loyal to their organization. Later, 
as cold weather came, when other organizations 
were provided with sweaters and kits, the "Or- 
phan Battery" appeared to have been overlook- 
ed, but the work of Mrs. Grace Morrow of Ex- 
celsior Springs, Mo., as God Mother, resulted in 
getting sweaters, socks, helmets and wristlets 



ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 55 

by the dozen ; provision was made for everyone. 

Great was the rejoicing when E battery was 
designated to precede the regiment on August 
23rd, 1919, to Ft. Sill. Flowers and lunch figur- 
ed in the farewell. The 2nd Mo. F. A. Band 
furnished the music. "Oh Johnny" with many 
quick steps helped us on the way to Union Sta- 
tion, and helped to defy hints of sadness, so that 
few tears marked the departure. 

Daylight the 25th found us on a siding at 
Fort Sill, where we received our baptism of dust. 
The Engineers were the only other troops of the 
35th Division there when we arrived, and the 
camp was far from ready to receive troops. Lt. 
Mars on that day, with his detail, proceeded to 
accumulate in his efficient way our supplies, 
and his training of the detail at that time helped 
the battery many times, and when it came to 
shrewdness Sergt. Githens was "right there." 
Gen. Lucian G. Berry arrived about this time to 
take command of the 60th F. A. Brigade. 

Tents were soon pitched. Hats were issued 
and a solemn funeral service was conducted to 
the burial place of the last civilian hat. Some 
dressed in robes, and Lt. Rielly's battery band 
provided music. Lt. Rielly also had charge of 
our canteen ; and from sales to other organiza- 
tions as the men arrived in camp hot, dry, and 
hungry, we were able to lay aside a fund that 



56 INCIDENTS PRIOR TO 

lasted through our service. Many will remem- 
ber those hot September days and that swim- 
ming hole which helped so much between drill 
periods. Also how Lt. Sawyer injected hot 
work and words as he worked out the battery, 
according to his hard Annapolis training. Then 
there was Lt. McMurray with his short snappy 
way. The practice marches were hard, and 
"Shorty" Olsen was not the last one in, for he 
kept up with many who had longer legs. He it 
was who had to climb the horse's leg to mount. 
We did not like to lose him, but he had oppor- 
tunity to do good work at Brigade Headquar- 
ters; so he was ordered there, but visited us 
often. Then we also lost Mackintosh, who was 
promoted to Sergt. Major. Jeck, as well as 
others, from time to time applied themselves 
and were given opportunity in other organiza- 
tions, until we were represented at Division, 
Brigade, Regimental and Battalion Headquar- 
ters, and some specially qualified men were 
placed in other outfits, Sergt. Severance being 
selected as Regimental N. C. Gas Officer. It can 
also be said some passed up opportunities for 
commissions. Corp. Davies was selected for 
work at G. H. Q. There were many who served 
their entire time as privates faithfully who de- 
served rewards, but unfortunately these could 
not be given to all. 



ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 57 

The early period at Ft. Sill was spent in set- 
ting up exercises, close order drill and lectures. 
Winter came ; no day was too cold but the bat- 
tery was out at work. Four 3 inch guns were 
received. The men were put through iron train- 
ing and discipline, but plenty of good plain food 
developed them into strong soldiers, capable of 
endurance, Maj. Daniel F. Jones commanding 
our battalion. 

To replace discharged and transferred men 
others from Camp Funston, Kans., together 
with additions from the 129th F. A. and in- 
fantry were received. The infantrymen were 
experts in the manual of arms, and this helped 
the rifle drill of the battery. In March, 1918, 
additional men arrived from Camp Travis, 
Texas; they were a husky lot. 

The work of the gun crews had to be learned 
over again when our equipment was changed 
to 4.7 tractor drawn artillery. The range was 
out at Signal Mt., and while the infantry were 
burying bayonets in dummy Germans, the ar- 
tillery were heaving shells at the mountain. The 
banging away of the 60th Artillery Brigade at 
firing practice, gave the men a good idea of the 
part they were soon to play in the Great War. 
When the guns were prepared for shipment to 
France many personal articles were hidden in 
the caissons, which were never seen again. 



58 INCIDENTS PRIOR TO 

Our picket line was the scene of several fistic 
encounters, however all of them did not take 
place there. When a member of the battery- 
became involved with some one from another 
outfit the battery spirit was evident. The feel- 
ing that we were the best, was backed up by- 
several facts, such as winning the football game, 
and Weeks taking the wrestling championship 
for his weight, in the Division. He was offer- 
ed a tour in France when we were leaving 
there but declined. Recalling the general desire 
to have the battery- at top notch, we remember 
the final inspection at Ft. Sill, when one man 
forgot his comb; as soon as the battery was 
dismissed, another member of the battery pro- 
ceeded to take satisfaction out of the hide of the 
careless one. 

All will recall the days when gun emplace- 
ments were dug near Signal Mountain, and the 
hikes to and from there, skirmish lines were 
formed to drive out the rabbits, and when one 
bounded across the prairie the men would 
whoop, and the chase be on, assisted by dogs, 
who always went out on these trips. This short 
recreation was a relief from the hard, serious 
work many had to do. The cooks had their 
troubles trying to follow directions of Major 
Pirn; as Harris said, "Keep out of food stuffs 
these three eyed 'Dingusses' with curly tails 



ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 59 

and long feelers, to change white uniforms fre- 
quently and keep their nails clean." Sergt Zieg- 
ler, who had the thankless job of Mess Sergt., 
could not be beat, and he gained a reputation in 
the Division by the excellent manner in which 
he carried on his work. The following is quoted 
from the K. C. Times, Nov. 22nd, 1917: 

"PRAISE KANSAS CITY UNIT 

"Battery E Crack of 128th Regiment at 

Doniphan. 

"Camp Doniphan, Okla., Nov. 22.— Battery E 
of the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Field 
Artillery, recruited in Kansas City and com- 
bined with the five other batteries from St. 
Louis, is considered the pacemaker of the regi- 
ment. Praise for the battery is heard wherever 
there is a discussion in the regiment. 

"Col. F. M. Rumbold, commander of the One 
Hundred and Twenty-eighth, has personally 
commended the officers, non-coms and privates 
of Battery E, for their efficiency and superior 
drill work. * * 

"Battery E has another point of superiority 
over every other unit in the Division. That is in 
the mess shack. 

"Herbert F. Ziegler, a Missouri University 



60 INCIDENTS PRIOR TO 

man, presides as mess sergeant. Under him are 
four cooks with experience that would qualify 
them to cook for kings: John Groves, former 
cook for a big circus ; Raymond Harris, head of 
a delicatessen shop in San Francisco; Walter 
Carpenter, in the John J. Grier Rock Island ser- 
vice, and Leroy Smith, who was a printer at 
Burd & Fletcher's before enlisting. 

"Big plans are being made for Thanksgiving 
Day. Menus and programs have been printed 
on olive drab paper, speeches are being prepared, 
and the afternoon will be devoted to eating what 
they can of the following menu: 



ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 61 

Cream of Chicken 

Celery Olives Pickles 

Roast Turkey Oyster Dressing 

Cranberry Sauce 

Mashed Potatoes Candied Sweet Potatoes 

Early June Peas 

Romaine Head Lettuce Salad 

Mince Pie Pumpkin Pie 

Russian Fruit Cake 

Oranges Grapes Bananas 

Assorted Nuts 

American Cheese 

Coffee Grape Juice Tea 

Cigars Cigarettes Mints" 



62 INCIDENTS PRIOR TO 

There was another period of rejoicing when 
the thirteen men sent to France ahead of us, 
as the "Over Sea Detail," departed, for we felt 
we had started; several parties were held late 
that night. 

It was about this time Charlie Geenans had 
been sent to the Infirmary. Feeling lonesome 
he wrote a note to the Doctor, telling him he 
did not like to stay there, and that he was going 
to his battery ; he slipped away, and was found 
in his tent. 

The isolation camp was patronized by many, 
and a sorry lot it was when some one in a tent 
would break out with the measles, resulting in 
all men in that tent being marched away. 

Sergt. Ching became so proficient with the 
tractors that he was called on to give instruc- 
tions in the regiment. Chief Mechanic Nolan 
likewise attained results with the 4.7 material. 
The chiefs of section were not the only ones 
who studied and attended night classes. Each 
section was capable of working independent of 
the battery if detached and thrown on their own 
resources. Then also did Sergt. Gattrell impart 
his knowledge to his detail, and control the 
men as none other in the Brigade. They had 
their close associates in the detail, and in each 
section; each trying to outdo the other. 

Responsibilities were placed; work outlined 



ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 63 

for each; and all held to strict accountability. 
This resulted in all having confidence in them- 
selves and executing with a will the most ardu- 
ous duties. 

Later two men were assigned to the battery, 
who did not hold the views of soldiering as we 
did ; when they displayed this attitude it did not 
take long for them to be shown the light, by 
the men themselves, and they developed into 
good, faithful soldiers, 

Our beloved Lashbrook let his energy run 
away with him one night. A deep hole had 
been dug at one end of the battery street. He 
wanted to get to Lawton more often, where his 
sister was living then; on this night about 
eleven o'clock, so he claimed later, he jumped 
in the hole; the guard claimed he yelled as 
though he was being murdered. The guard 
with others lifted him out; he was carried to 
the hospital. Major Pirn fixed him up and Lash- 
brook said he almost believed he did have three 
ribs broken, as the Major thumped his ribs 
and confined him to the hospital for a short 
time. Lashbrook often said it was not his ribs 
but his head ; for the sun was hot, drilling hard, 
and as an orderly he was not excused from 
drilling. 

Spring came and on May 10th, 1918, the bat- 
tery and regiment entrained for New York. It 



64 INCIDENTS PRIOR TO 

was fortunate the battery passed through Kan- 
sas City, for it enabled the men to see their rel- 
atives and friends ; also put on a parade. Short 
marches were also made at Bloomington, 111., 
Cleveland, Ohio, and Buffalo, N. Y. New York 
City was reached the 14th, and arrival at Camp 
Mills the 15th. Inspections and final oversea 
examinations took place there. 

Five o'clock May 20th, the troops sailed 
aboard R. M. S. Saxonia. The ship had a capa- 
city of only 3000 and was rather old ; some fears 
were expressed as to her ability to fight sub- 
marines. 

Coming into the harbor of Halifax, alone, the 
morning of the 23rd, the Saxonia joined many 
other camouflaged transports. The next morn- 
ing the fleet of 17 ships weighed anchors and 
started across the Atlantic. On deck it was 
compulsory to wear life belts, and boat drills 
were held regularly. Mess put on by the ship's 
cooks was very poor compared to what our camp 
rations had been ; their rabbit stew well deserv- 
ed the name of cat. Rain and cool weather was 
the rule, but only one day did the sea get rough. 

At 6 o'clock, June 1st, a speck was observed 
on the horizon, which, when it came closer, 
proved to be the first destroyer sent out from 
England, to meet the incoming transports. Sev- 
eral other destroyers joined us; one carried an 



ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 65 

observation balloon, which it could drag over 
the water at great speed like some huge dragon 
fly. The sub-chasers added much to the feeling 
of safety, as we were then passing through the 
danger zone. 

June 2nd, about 6 P. M. two "subs" were re- 
ported close to the convoy. The alarm was giv- 
en; all the transports changed course. The de- 
stroyers rushed to the spot where the submar- 
ines had been reported and dropped depth 
bombs, one "sub" being reported as destroyed. 

June 4th, everyone welcomed the sight of 
land when the white cliffs and green hills of 
England came into view. June 5th, at 11 :30 A. 
M. the Saxonia tied up at Tilbury dock. These 
were the first American troops to land in this 
part of England. The troops boarded 3rd class 
railway coaches for Winchester. Arriving at 
Winchester, a long hike was made to Camp 
Winnal Downs, with full packs. Time at this 
camp was spent in resting up. English rations 
were wholesome, but meagre. The scarcity of 
food brought home the slogan, "Save or starve." 

Two days' stay at this camp and we left for 
Southampton, crossing the Channel in a small 
cattle boat, at night. 



PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 67 



CHAPTER V. 
In France Prior to Armistice. 

The Battery set foot on French soil for the 
first time at La Havre, June 8th, and found 
themselves in a quaint old city. The next day 
the men made their acquaintance with the "sol- 
dier side door Pullman," for they were loaded in 
French box cars at the rate of "40 Hommes — 8 
Cheveaux" (in accordance with the sign on the 
car door). The cars looked like toys compared 
with the big American box cars, being four- 
wheeled, and having a hand brake. 

The scenery of France, as the train rolled 
along, proved much different than that of the 
States. Instead of Prairie land in large tracts, 
the country was rolling, the fields were small, 
but intensively cultivated ; many of the gardens 
having moss covered tile walls between them, 
giving a most picturesque appearance. Peas- 
ants tilled the soil, many with last century im- 
plements. 



68 IN FRANCE 

The box car ride ended at Montriel, June 10th. 
The Battery was billeted at Chevalier Farm, 
two kilometers from the small village of La 
Meighnan, and eight kilometers from Angers, in 
the wonderful valley of the Loire. Here again 
in our isolation from other billets, the Battery 
had its "family" difficulties to smooth out but 
nevertheless many will recall some happy days 
here. From the gate to the Chateau, stretched 
a long lane bordered with parallel rows of state- 
ly trees; in this lane the Battery spent many 
hours, carrying out the daily scheduleu On the 
adjoining farm was a French family consisting 
of mother, daughter and crippled soldier son. 
This good woman had lost one son, killed early 
in the war, and another was then a prisoner in 
Germany. These two hard working women and 
the cripple were very kind to us — it was our 
first intimate knowledge of what the French 
had, and were enduring in this War — and when 
we sympathized with this woman she bravely 
said, "it is for France" ; so loyal are these peas- 
ant folk. 

The French Cafe proved a novelty to the 
Americans. Even the smallest villages had nu- 
merous cafes where wines and beer were sold; 
and as a consequence some indulged too freely 
— and became "beaucoup zigzag" as the French 
would say. 



PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 69 

June 19th, the Battery received its issue of 
the famous French 75mm guns — this again ne- 
cessitated changing the gun drill learned at 
Doniphan. These guns were retained however 
throughout the campaign. 

June 20th saw all of the oversea detail back 
with the Battery again, having completed their 
course in advanced work at Valdahon, and need- 
less to say their instruction was of great value 
to them and their comrades. Everyone enjoy- 
ed their stay at Chevalier Farm. Passes to An- 
gers gave the men an opportunity to view a 
large French city. 

One the 9th of July the Battery entrained for 
Camp Coetquidon, near Guer, and arrived there 
the same day. This camp was a finishing school 
for artillery. Schools for specialists were con- 
ducted. The issue of horses was received at this 
camp, and it took only a few weeks for the men 
to become proficient in handling them. 

After firing a regimental problem, in which 
an advancing barrage was worked out on the 
opposite hills, the Battery's "School of fire" 
work was finished. The outfit was now ready 
for the fighting fronts, and on August 16th the 
journey across France eastward began. The 
route led through Rennes, LeMans, Versailles, 
(just outside of Paris) Chaumont, Epinal and 
Remiremont. At Epinal the first Boche aero- 



70 IN FRANCE 

plane raider and anti-aircraft guns were seen 
in action. Sunday, Aug. 18th, the organiza- 
tion left the train at Remiremont, and proceed- 
ed overland, with guns and horses, to La Forge, 
a small village in the Vosges mountains. Aug. 
21st the march was taken up through Gerard- 
mer, and into the Vosges-Gerardmer Sector. 

The Battery faced the Germans for the first 
time on Aug. 22nd, when they pulled the guns 
into position up the side of a mountain. Move- 
ment and the furnishing of the supplies here 
was very difficult, owing to the mountainous 
character of the country. There was no active 
campaign on in the Vosges at this time, so the 
Boche sent over only harassing fire. The Bat- 
tery registered and fired for the first time at 
the enemy on Aug. 27th, Sergt. Ching sending 
over the first shot at 3 P. M. From the artil- 
lery 0. P. Nicholai, the Germans and their sys- 
tem of fortifications in the mountain fastness 
could be seen. The Allies and the Germans both 
had lost many men trying to take each others' 
strong positions, resulting in the warfare 
changing to small offensives and raids. We were 
careful not to fire on the city of Munster and 
other towns in range. From our 0. P. on a 
clear day the Rhine Valley was easily visible. 
Some French citizens in this section were pro- 
German, and required continual watching. This 



PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 71 

quiet sector did not remain quiet after the Am- 
ericans arrived, and the last two days that the 
Battery was in this position there was continu- 
ous fighting and heavy shelling. 

In occupying new positions, orders were 
strictly enforced, prohibiting anyone crossing 
open fields and thereby leaving a trail through 
the long grass distinctly discernable in German 
aeroplane photos — consequently giving the en- 
emy a cue as to recent activity in that position. 
As this position became active, amid the loud 
report of the H. E. shells could be heard the 
quiet thud of gas shells and the shrieking of gas 
sirens — the din was deafening. The Battery 
was in the open in a new position, therefore did 
not have the shelter of dugouts; and during 
the most uncomfortable periods a few of the 
men occupied a small partly built ammunition 
shelter. Shells fell in the position, but no one 
was injured. Sept. 1st the sector was taken over 
by the relieving Division, and the march over- 
land began. To keep troop movements un- 
known to the enemy, all moves near the front 
had to be made under cover of darkness (this 
was called "night seeing" in France) . Strict or- 
ders kept anyone from smoking at these times, 
for fear of observation of flashes of light by the 
Germans. One weary night after traveling 41 
kilometers, La Chappelle was reached. From 



72 IN FRANCE 

there sixteen hours on a slow moving train 
brought the Battery to Einvaux on Sept. 6th. 
We marched several kilometers from this point, 
and were taking cover in an old orchard, when 
the whir of an aeroplane and the firing of anti- 
aircraft guns were heard, and suddenly a Ger- 
man plane appeared, flying low; their machine 
gun bullets cut leaves from the trees over us, 
the plane passed to a field adjoining and landed, 
undamaged, except for gasoline leaking from its 
tank, which had been pierced by a machine gun 
bullet. The Germans continued firing until they 
landed. Capt. Bucklew, taking Lt. Dinkins, 
Sergt. Ziegler, Sergt. Gattrell, and several oth- 
ers, quickly formed a skirmish line and rushed 
the Germans before they could do any damage 
or destroy the plane ; for they carried a grenade 
to be used in an emergency like this. Sergt. 
Ziegler acted as interpreter; of the two German 
officers, one wore two Iron Crosses, one of the 
First Class and one of the Second Class. One 
officer was crestfallen and unhappy; the other 
said he was glad the war was over for him and 
gave Capt. Bucklew his goggles. Thus the first 
German captives in the Brigade fell to Battery 
E. One of the Germans wanted to light a cig- 
arette while standing near the leaking tank ; he 
was prevented from striking the match, as it 
was no doubt his intention to destroy the plane 









;■''-.■ 










••-'V- 


«9 


1 


i • i 


mmr* * 



PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 73 

and those of us standing near, if possible. 

The march continued through Fleville to a 
farm known as "Farme de Frocourt", four kil- 
ometers outside Nancy. Here a rest was taken. 
Sept. 10th the farm was left behind, and the 
night march taken up by way of St. Nicholas. 
The 60th Field Artillery Brigade was now on 
the road, moving as a whole. 

The fact was now made known that the Divis- 
ion, as a part of the 1st Army, was being held in 
reserve for the attack to be made on St. Mihiel. 
At 1 :00 A. M. on Sept. 12th, the American bom- 
bardment began; at 2:00 A. M. the Brigade 
moved forward, after having stood in a soaking 
rain for six hours waiting to know as to wheth- 
er or not we would be used in the first lines; 
and learned that fighting did not always mean 
actual shooting. The American barrage contin- 
ued until nine in the morning. The Brigade was 
now stationed in a big beech tree forest, "Foret 
de Have." News came into camp about capture 
of many Germans and gain of large territory, 
which meant the drive had succeeded, and fur- 
ther support by the Brigade would not be re- 
quired in this operation. 

The Battery took up the hike again, traveling 
northward just behind the front. Night after 
night the men followed the caissons, snatching 
what rest they could get during the short halts. 



74 IN FRANCE 

Daylight found the guns and horses hidden in 
the timber or comouflaged from aeroplane ob- 
servation. Changed orders now called for all pos- 
sible speed. Hay and oats for the horses were 
hard to obtain, and carry. Many times, even the 
"corn willy" supply was short. Because of the 
wornout condition of the horses the men were 
required to carry their packs; soon the horses 
began to give out, and every few kilometers 
horses had to be taken out, some to be shot and 
others turned loose. We were northwest of Ver- 
dun, opposite the Argonne; motor trucks laden 
with ammunition poured up to the front in a 
never ending line. At this place Sergt. Githens 
succeeded in getting camouflage screens, and 
the Regimental Supply Company worked day 
and night under very trying conditions, doing 
excellent work. 

Sept. 22nd, the Brigade, weary and footsore, 
drew into the woods outside of Rarecourt, hav- 
ing traveled 350 kilometers since leaving the 
Vosges Mts. Eighteen nights of hard marching 
had brought the Brigade up in time for the com- 
ing offensive. One of the nights Lt. Wright was 
having trouble with a mired wagon, and sent 
Lashbrook to get a rope. Lashbrook searched 
diligently, and in the dark found one tied to a 
post, which rope he unfastened and found the 
other end tied to a horse. No one ever claimed 



PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 75 

the animal and for a long time Lashbrook's 
find shared forage with the other horses. 

Sept. 23rd the Battery moved through de- 
stroyed Neuvilly, up to what was to be their po- 
sition in the great drive to be pulled off in the 
Argonne. In the moonlight hours of early mor- 
ning on the 24th, the guns were established in 
position and camouflaged under fire of the Ger- 
man batteries. Daylight found the position 
without any human movement or trace of the 
work accomplished, everyone remaining hidden. 
The following night was spent by every availa- 
ble man carrying and stacking rows of 75mm 
ammunition to be used in the opening barrage 
of the offensive later known as the Meuse-Ar- 
gonne. Pvt. Frank Lewis was injured by en- 
emy shell fire while carrying ammunition. 
Horseshoer Holmes was also slightly wounded. 

In the territory assigned to the 35th Division 
to capture stood Vauquois Hill, a formidable for- 
tress, tunneled with deep concrete dugouts. In 
Man's Land, a forest of barbed wire, protected 
an extensive trench system of the Germans. The 
French had been unsuccessful for four years in 
trying to capture Vauquois Hill, in the famous 
Hindenburg Line. 

At midnight, and during the early hours of 
Sept. 26th, the American-French offensive 
broke out with a roar; the big guns, smaller 



76 IN FRANCE 

guns, and machine guns tried to outdo each oth- 
er in noise. At 5:30 A. M., the Battery joined 
in the barrage lasting until 8:00 A. M., and 
smoke belching from three thousand guns dot- 
ting the countryside, and making a thick fog. 
Regularly, the drum fire would be broken by a 
still louder explosion ; that of the 15-inch Naval 
guns sending over death and destruction from 
the rear. The flash of the guns made the dusk 
seem ghastly. The Battery barrage was creep- 
ing, jumping forward at one hundred meter in- 
tervals until the thirtieth jump was reached, 
starting at 3,000 meters and ending at 6,000 me- 
ters. As the hands of our watches pointed to 
the zero hour, the indescribable din and thunder 
of many guns rolled over the Valley of the Aire. 
Far and near thousands of flashes blended 
together in the early morning hours and made a 
continuous glow. The guns sizzled, and empty 
shells were thrown nearby, as our 75's belched 
fire and sent their message to the Germans ; the 
shells from large calibre guns in the rear shriek- 
ed and whined in their flight over our heads. 
Strong as were the German dugouts, machine 
gun nests and battery emplacements, they could 
not long withstand the tons of high explosives 
that were dropped on them. The guns also swept 
German crossroads, ammunition dumps and 
barbed wire entanglements. During this time 




Batteries D, E and F, early morning-, Sept. 26, at opening c| 
and before moving forward on Varennes road. 




leuse-Argonne Drive, just after IV 2 hours continuous firing 
e barbed wire entanglements in front of guns. 



PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 77 

the German and Austrian artillery gave reply, 
but it was feeble in comparison. 

At 6:30 A. M., the doughboys had gone over 
the top; the artillery was ordered forward at 
8:30 A. M., just as two 120mm German shells 
rocked the Battery position ; the American rail- 
road guns were still keeping up their work on 
the German back area. Just as day was break- 
ing a carrier pigeon flew between two of the 
guns as they fired. The frightened bird, no 
doubt bewildered by the concussion, kept on the 
wing and flew to the rear. When the enemy 
started to retreat, they exploded mines and de- 
layed our advance; many of their traps and un- 
exploded mines were discovered later. 

Battery E was the first to limber and get out 
on the Varennes road when the advance was or- 
dered ; so led the column in the march forward. 
The first obstacle was a mine crater thirty feet 
deep and one hundred and sixty feet wide, which 
split open the road to Varennes, the ground on 
both sides being low and muddy. Here a detail 
of engineers was starting to construct a road 
around the barrier for traffic was becoming con- 
gested. The Germans, observing this tempor- 
ary tie-up, threw shells directly into the mass 
of men and material. Battery E had been mov- 
ed from the immediate vicinity of the crater, 
though only a short distance, however. Capt. 



78 IN FRANCE 

Bucklew, Lt. Dinkins, and the Special Detail 
were within a few feet of one of the shells that 
fell in the road. Lt. Dinkins and Pvt. Clem- 
ments were the only two of Battery E wounded ; 
the others killed and injured belonged to the en- 
gineers. Lt. Dinkins, receiving a severe wound 
close to the spine, did not recover for several 
months. Pvt. Clemments seriously wounded in 
the left side and arm, later succumbed to these 
injuries, and the Battery mourned the loss of 
"Bob" as he was known to his comrades. He 
had "gone West" before we were relieved in the 
Argonne. Ambulances now appeared to carry 
away wounded. German prisoners in large num- 
ber were being sent back by their captors. Ger- 
man wounded were also being taken back, and 
they included Prussian Guards, Grenadier 
Guards and Foot Guards. 

During the bombardment on the 26th, and 
the succeeding barrage from midnight to 8 A. 
M., the First Army Artillery fired over 313,000 
rounds. Capt. Bucklew, Sergt. Gattrell, and Corp. 
Vasey, on the first day, advanced to vicinity of 
Charpentry, on a reconnoissance, every effort 
being made to advance as far as possible, for 
the Hindenburg line had been broken, and the 
Kriemhilde line was bending. 

The necessity of keeping ammunition moving 
forward, as thousands of rounds were being 




U. S. official 



Church at Neuvilly, to whic 




J* 





ur wounded were removed. 



PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 79 

spent, prevented movement of many vehicles 
over the shell torn roads and fields — so food 
must wait; then it was the packs of some dead 
soldiers afforded a few rations. The problem 
of moving guns and supplies during the first 
days' advances was one of the most difficult, 
because of the condition of the ground after 
four years of fighting, and roads which had not 
been used since 1914. Even if the roads had 
been in perfect condition they could not have 
accommodated the volume of traffic incident to 
such a large operation. During the days and 
nights that followed, the cannoneers and driv- 
ers helped the few remaining horses to move 
the guns and caissons through mud; Sergt. 
Ziegler and his section exerted every means to 
get the rolling kitchen and water cart forward. 

Fighting in the air was in full swing, and it 
was at this time that the Germans sent two of 
the American observation balloons up in flames ; 
one by a direct hit from their artillery, and the 
other from the machine gun of a German avia- 
tor. The onslaught made in the Argonne result- 
ed in the Germans bringing their best troops 
from other parts of the line. Except on the ex- 
treme right, where it had reached the Army ob- 
jective along the Meuse, the American front on 
the night of September 26th was approximate- 
ly upon the Corps objective everywhere, but 



80 IN FRANCE 

still about five kilometers short of the Army ob- 
jective, the attainment of which line was essen- 
tial to the strangling out of the German hold of 
even the lower part of the Argonne forest; not 
to speak of the still more important object of 
arriving on the other flank, within striking dis- 
tance of the Metz-Meziers railroad. The effects 
of surprise, and the opportunities for flanking 
operations, except tactically against local objec- 
tives, were now over, and there was nothing for 
it but to drive ahead with all the strength and 
determination possible, and force a way forward 
against the most bitter frontal resistance that 
the power of the Germay army could exert. 

An incident, which will perhaps prove inter- 
esting, in recollection, was a trick to which one 
of the Allied batteries resorted. This particu- 
lar battery had been stationed in a small clump 
of trees, and the Germans, being aware of their 
location and having the range and direction, 
fired on it at will. The night before an attack 
by the Allies, previous preparation having been 
made, the small clump of trees was cut, and 
with the battery was moved to a point one hun- 
dred meters east; the next day, when the Boche 
replied to the Allied offensive, they dropped sev- 
eral hundred shells in the spot where the bat- 
tery and clump of trees had been — it was evi- 
dent they were firing from their old data, and 



PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 81 

if they had an observer, no doubt he was mis- 
tified at the ineffectiveness of their fire on this 
occasion. 

The retreating Germans continued to shell 
the advancing troops. The Battery went into 
position for the night, amid barbed wire and 
captured German dugouts. 

September 27th, the Battery again moved 
f orward to a new position, on a hill in the open ; 
the guns had only the screen camouflage to pro- 
tect them from observation. The men lay in 
shell holes. Vauquois Hill, in the broken Hin- 
denburg line, was to the right and rear ; on the 
road up to this position the tanks large and 
small could be seen as they stopped, after hav- 
ing done their work of going through the wire 
ahead of the infantry. The country from which 
the Germans had fled, was thickly pockmarked 
with shell holes ; here and there a large shell had 
torn a crater, sometimes as large as forty feet 
wide and fifteen feet deep. Looking over to 
Vauquois Hill, one could see where the large 
shells had gouged out the mountain, transplant- 
ing the dugouts to the bottom of the hill. It 
looked as if nothing could have lived through 
the destructive fire. On calls from the infan- 
try, the Battery responded with H. E. shells on 
the retreating Germans ; at one time the dough- 
boys were forced to fall back, but a timely bar- 



82 IN FRANCE 

rage saved the day. Robt. Cirkal was one 
member of the Battery detailed as a runner for 
liaison with the infantry, and his hazardous 
work was carried out with considerable credit. 
The enemy made a counter attack the morn- 
ing of the 28th, and after it had been repulsed 
by a barrage, the Americans pushed on, the 
right taking position north of Chaudron Farm, 
while the left cleared the Bois de Montebeau to 
its north edge, despite heavy cross fire from be- 
yond the river Aire. The strong position of Ex- 
ermont now lay in front, and preparations were 
made to attack it on the morning of the 29th. 
All the 75mm batteries of the 128th and 129th 
U. S. F. A., the 155mm batteries of the 130th U. 
S. F. A., one battalion of the 219th French Ar- 
tillery, 317th French Artillery and the 451st 
French Artillery, preparing for, and supporting 
the attack. At one time, when several men were 
in close quarters, one asked why the shells were 
called "Whiz-bangs"; another replied, "if you 
hear the whiz only, you are no longer alive, but 
if you hear the whiz and the bang then you are 
alive ; so they are only mentioned in this world 
as "Whiz-bangs." The Battery again moved 
forward, passing through Boureuilles, Cheppy, 
and to the north of Very. The country was an 
awful picture of No Man's Land ; here and there, 
where once stood a village, were now only a 



PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 83 

few walls and piles of debris remaining. On 
every side lay the gigantic spoils and salvage of 
war. German equipment lay in disordered piles 
with the American equipment lost in battle; 
the German dead lay among the Americans, 
their heads in the direction of the advance. 
The American infantry, machine gunners and 
engineers, bearing the brunt of the attack, were 
the first to fall; with equipment strapped to 
their backs, they lay where death had overtaken 
them. The German loss was large, entire bat- 
teries of 77mm's and immense stores of ammu- 
nition being captured; everything from Lugers 
and Mausers to playing cards and prayer books, 
were scattered on the way ; many dugouts were 
just as the fleeing Germans had left them. In 
a dugout belonging to a German officer, hung or- 
derly rows of clothing, and on a table was 
spread food and wine, just as it had been hur- 
riedly left by its occupant. 
Following quoted from Stars and Stripes : 
"By the 29th of Sept. they had reinforced 
their front lines by the introduction of three 
more Divisions, so that on that date their order 
of battle stood, from the Meuse westward: 
CXVth Div., astride the Meuse; the Vllth Re- 
serve Div., XXXVII Div., CXVIIth Div., 1st 
Guard Div., Vth Div., XLVth Div., and Ilnd 
Landwehr Div., of which the 1st and Vth Prus- 



84 IN FRANCE 

sian Guard Divisions were immediately east of 
the Aire river." 

At the position north of Very, the Battery 
was using nine different barrage tables on the 
Germans, for offensive and defensive purposes. 
The Germans, in falling back, adopted the de- 
fensive tactics of using machine gunners in 
the rear guards. These Hun nests, established 
in the Argonne forest, were difficult to destroy ; 
when the infantry could not take them, they 
had to be blasted out by artillery. 

Sept. 29th, the 35th Division had pushed be- 
yond their objectives, and passed the neigh- 
boring divisions. The German artillery were 
now replying with heavy fire to our artillery, 
showing that they were attempting to make a 
stand. Huge fires could be seen behind their 
lines, destruction of property being more desira- 
ble to them than the capture of it by the Allies. 
German aeroplanes were making desperate at- 
tempts to get over the American lines but at 
almost every attempt they would lose a plane 
or two; in some instances their aviators flew 
close enough to exchange shots with troops on 
the ground. 

After seven days of fierce fighting, in which 
infantry companies were reduced to 50% of 
their strength, it became necessary for the 35th 
Division to have relief because of casualties. 



PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 85 

The 1st Division relieved the Missouri and Kan- 
sas boys, the Battery moving to the rear at 2 
A. M., October 3rd, our artillery supporting the 
1st Div. infantry until their own artillery came 
up. A march of ninety kilometers brought the 
organization to Erize-la-Brulee on October 6th, 
six kilometers from Bar-le-duc. The men were 
billeted in barns and lofts for rest and recovery, 
after the strenuous days at the front — out of 
range of bursting shells, they took a new view 
of life. It was a relief for them to see smiling 
faces again, instead of battling humans bent 
on destruction. The men were decootized at a 
French Red Cross bath house, and new clothing 
issued to those who had come in contact with 
gas but had not been seriously burned. In 
being sent to "rest billets," the men felt that 
this was a misnomer, for they thought they 
did everything but rest. 

The following is quoted from statements 
made in Washington, D. C, by General Peter 
E. Traub, who commanded the 35th Div. in the 
Argonne. (Kansas City Star, February 20th, 
1919.) 

"In five days and five nights my division ad- 
vanced against three of the finest "boche" di- 
visions in the entire Hun army for a distance of 
12 and one-half kilometers, taking positions 
that had baffled the French four years and 



86 IN FRANCE 

which they had pronounced impregnable, taking 
more than one thousand prisoners, twenty-four 
pieces or artillery, eighty-five machine guns, one 
hundred anti-tank guns and much other war 
material; they advanced in the most exposed 
sector of the entire battle front against artillery 
fire concentrated on them from the surround- 
ing crests, almost perfect observation posts, 
and did it at a loss of life that under the cir- 
cumstances of the battle was marvellously low. 
My men did what they were told to do. Gen- 
eral Traub said that the dead in the battle as 
reported to him a few days after the battle was 
a little more than five hundred, which after- 
wards was increased by deaths from wounds, 
and that the total wounded did not exceed 4,500 
(he added he thought that 4,300 represented 
more nearly the mark) and that more than half 
of these wounded were of the slightly wounded 
class, so that they returned to duty in a short 
while after the battle." 

As observations on the Battery alone would 
not properly bring out the operations in which 
we were a part, it is deemed best to quote ex- 
tracts here from the report of General Pershing 
to the Secretary of War as published : 



"On the day after we had taken the St. Mihiel 



PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 87 

salient, much of our corps and army artillery 
which had operated at St. Mihiel, and our di- 
visions in reserve at other points, were already 
on the move toward the area back of the line be- 
tween the Meuse River and the western edge of 
the forest of Argonne. With the exception of 
St. Mihiel, the old German front line from 
Switzerland to the east of Rheims was still in- 
tact. In the general attack planned all along the 
line, the operation assigned the American Army 
as the hinge of this Allied offensive, was direct- 
ed toward the important railroad communica- 
tions of the German armies through Mezieres 
and Sedan. The enemy must hold fast to this 
part of his lines or the withdrawal of his forces 
with four years' accumulation of plants and 
material would be dangerously imperiled. 

"The German Army had as yet shown no de- 
moralization and, while the mass of its troops 
had suffered in morale, its first class divisions 
and notably its machine gun defense were ex- 
hibiting remarkable tactical efficiency as well as 
courage. The German General Staff was fully 
aware of the consequences of a success on the 
Meuse-Argonne line. Certain that he would do 
everything in his power to oppose us, the ac- 
tion was planned with as much secrecy as pos- 
sible and was undertaken with the determina- 
tion to use all our divisions in forcing a decis- 



88 IN FRANCE 

ion. We expected to draw the best German di- 
visions to our front and consume them while the 
enemy was held under grave apprehension lest 
our attack should break his line, which it was 
our firm purpose to do. 

"Our right flank was protected by the Meuse, 
while our left embraced the Argonne forest, 
whose ravines, hills, and elaborate defenses 
screened by dense thickets had been generally 
considered impregnable. Our order of battle 
from right to left was the Third Corps from the 
Meuse to Malancourt, with the 33rd, 80th, and 
4th Divisions in line, and the 3rd Div. as Corps 
reserve ; the 5th Corps from Malancourt to Vau- 
quois, with the 70th, 37th and 91st Div. in line, 
and the 32nd Div. in Corps reserve; and the 
First Corps from Vauquois to Vienne-le-Cha- 
teau, with the 35th, 28th and 77th Div. in line 
and the 92nd in Corps reserve. The army re- 
serve consisted of the 1st, 29th and 82nd Div. 

"On the night of September 25th our troops 
quietly took the place of the French who thinly 
held the line in this sector which had long been 
inactive. In the attack which began on the 26th 
we drove through the barbed wire entangle- 
ments and the sea of shell craters across No 
Man's Land mastering all the first line defenses. 
Continuing on the 27th and 28th, against ma- 
chine guns and artillery of an increasing num- 



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PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 89 

ber of enemy reserve divisions, we penetrated 
to a depth of from three to seven miles and took 
the village of Montfaucon and its commanding 
hill, and Exermont, Gercourt, Cuisy, Septsar- 
ges, Milancourt, Ivory, Epinonville, Charpentry, 
Very and other villages. East of the Meuse, one 
of our divisions which was with the Second Col- 
onial French Corps captured Marchevilie and 
Rieville giving further protection to the flank of 
our main body. We had taken 10,000 prisoners, 
we had gained our point of forcing the battle 
into the open, and were prepared for the en- 
emy's reaction which was bound to come as he 
had good roads and ample railroad facilities for 
bringing up his artillery and reserves. 

"In the chill rain of dark nights our engineers 
had to build new roads across spongy, shell torn 
areas, repair broken roads beyond No Man's 
Land, and build bridges. Our gunners, with no 
thought of sleep, put their shoulders to wheels 
and drag-ropes to bring their guns through the 
mire in support of the infantry now under the 
increasing fire of the enemy's artillery. Our at- 
tack had taken the enemy by surprise, but, 
quickly recovering himself, he began fierce 
counter attacks in strong force supported by 
heavy bombardments with large quantities of 
gas. From September 28th to October 4th we 
maintained the offensive against patches of 



90 IN FRANCE 

woods defended by snipers and continuous lines 
of machine guns, and pushed forward our guns 
and transport, seizing strategical points in prep- 
aration for further attacks. * * It was now 
necessary to constitute a Second Army, and on 
Oct. 10th the immediate command of the First 
Army was turned over to Lieutenant General 
Hunter Liggett. The Command of the Second 
Army, whose divisions occupied a sector in the 
Woevre, was given to Lieutenant General Robt. 
L. Bullard, who had been commander of the 1st 
Division and then of the Third Corps.* * Our 
constant pressure against the enemy brought 
day by day more prisoners, mostly survivors 
from machine gun nests captured in fighting at 
close quarters. On October 18th there was very 
fierce fighting in the Caures woods east of the 
Meuse and in the Ormont wood. On the 14th 
the First Corps took St. Juvin, and the Fifth 
Corps, by hand to hand encounters, entered the 
formidable Kriemhilde line where the enemy 
had hoped to check us indefinitely. Later the 
Fifth Corps penetrated further the Kriemhilde 
line, and the First Corps took Champigneulles 
and the important town of Grand Pre. Our dog- 
ged offensive wearing down the enemy, who con- 
tinued desperately to throw his best troops 
against us, thus weakening his line in front of 
our Allies and making their advances less dif- 



PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 91 

ficult. * * On the 6th a division of the First 
Corps reached a point on the Meuse opposite 
Sedan, 25 miles from our line of departure. The 
strategical goal which was our highest hope was 
gained. We had cut the enemy's main line of 
communications and nothing but surrender or 
an armistice could save his army from com- 
plete disaster. 

"In all 44 enemy divisions had been used 
against us in the Meuse-Argonne battle. Be- 
tween September 26th and November 6th we 
took 16,059 prisoners and 468 guns on this 
front. Our divisions engaged were: 1st, 2nd, 
3rd, 4th, 5th, 26th 28th, 29th, 32nd, 33rd, 35th, 
37th, 42nd, 77th, 78th, 79th, 80th, 82nd, 89th, 
90th, 91st. Many of our divisions remained in 
line for a length of time that required nerves 
of steel, while others were sent in again after 
only a few days of rest. * * On the three 
days preceeding November 10th, the Third 
Corps and the Second Colonial and Seventeenth 
French Corps fought a difficult struggle through 
the Meuse hills south of Stenay and forced the 
enemy into the plain. Meanwhile, my plans for 
further use of the American forces contemplat- 
ed an advance between the Meuse and Moselle in 
the direction of Longwy by the First Army, 
while at the same time the Second Army should 
assume the offensive toward the rich iron fields 



92 IN FRANCE 

of Briey. These operations were to be f ollowed 
by an offensive toward Chateau-Salins east of 
the Moselle, thus isolating Metz. Accordingly, 
attacks on the American front had been order- 
ed, and that of the Second Army was in pro- 
gress on the morning of November 11th, when 
instructions were received that hostilities 
should cease at 11 o'clock A. M. * * Final- 
ly, I pay the supreme tribute to our officers and 
soldiers of the line. When I think of their hero- 
ism, their patience under hardship, their un- 
flinching spirit of offensive action, I am filled 
with emotion which I am unable to express. 
Their deeds are immortal, and they have earn- 
ed the eternal gratitude of our country. 
"I am, Mr. Secretary, 

Very respectfully, 

John J. Pershing, 
General, Commander-in-Chief, A. E. F." 



October 12th, after having a brief six days at 
Erize-la-Brulee, we were ordered to move to the 
front again. The route went through Pierfette, 
Courovre, Souilly and to Sommedieu on the 
right of Verdun. October 15th the Battery took 
over the Sommedieu position from the French. 
This was eleven kilometers southeast of Ver- 
dun. The Allies had the heights, while the Ger- 



PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 9S 

man position stretched out beyond the plain be- 
low. No Man's Land was a marsh waste, with 
here and there an almost totally destroyed vil- 
lage. German aeroplanes were busy continually 
on observation duty, so that good camouflage 
discipline had to be observed to keep from re- 
vealing our gun positions to the enemy. The 
German batteries were repeatedly hammering 
this sector, searching out the roads and woods 
with shell fire; mustard gas caused severe cas- 
ualties to our infantry on this front. The Bat- 
tery firing was in accordance with the plan of 
the sector, on calls from the infantry during the 
first days in this position ; a star shell by night 
or telephone call at anytime would find the artil- 
lery ready with the necessary barrage. With 
good firing data, objects in enemy territory such 
as ammunition dumps, buildings and cross 
roads were picked out and destroyed. 

The following is quoted, from an order of the 
commander of the Fifth German Army, General 
Von der Marwitz, secured by intelligence officers 
which shows the importance the Germans at- 
tached to holding this front : "It is on the un- 
conquerable resistance of the Verdun front that 
depends the fate of a great part of the Western 
Front, perhaps even of our nation. The Fath- 
erland must rest assured that every commander 
and every man realize the greatness of his mis- 



94 IN FRANCE 

sion, and that he will do his duty to the very- 
end; if they do this the enemy's attack will, as 
heretofore, break against our firm will to hold." 

November 3rd, after heavy losses in men, 
from a recent gas attack, the 35th Division in- 
fantry was relieved by the 81st Div. infantry. 
The artillery of the 81st Division was not with 
their infantry, so we continued the support of 
this division and spent the last days of active 
warfare with them in the offensive on the 
Woevre plain, below the hills outside Verdun in 
the direction of Metz. Battery E felt proud to 
have been selected as one of the batteries to ac- 
company the infantry, and the last three were 
very uncertain days. November 10th, after a 
preparatory barrage the 81st Division infantry 
went over the top, and though there were ru- 
mors of an armistice there was no official infor- 
mation on the subject; so the fight was as fierce 
as it had ever been. The Germans fought just 
as violently as before, and severe losses were in- 
flicted. Mention of this period is found in the 
extract from "Operations Report" in chapter 
III. 

The following is a copy of the order to cease 
hostilities as received by Capt. Bucklew at 10 :20 
A. M., November 11th, twelve kilometers east of 
Verdun, on the Verdun-Metz road during the 
attack on the Woevre plain : 



PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 95 

Headquarters 128th F. A., 
11th Nov., 1918. 
Warning message from Job 11. 
Hostilities will cease on whole front at 11 
hour this morning, Nov. 11, 1918. 

Troops will not pass the line obtained at that 
period. 

Outguards will be established at this hour 
and no intercourse with the enemy allowed. 
The line obtained will be carefully marked. 
Enemy soldiers may be received as prisoners, 
but no communication with the enemy will be 
permitted, either before or after cessation of 
hostilities. 

Further orders will be transmitted. 

Chief of Staff. 
Received by Col. Warner 8:25 A. M. 

Transmitted through 2nd Battalion Hdqrs. 
128th F. A. 

Battery E fired its last round fifteen minutes 
before 11 o'clock, but the general firing did not 
cease until the last minute; the quiet, which we 
had not known for so long, was awe-inspiring. 
There was a feeling that thanks should be given 
and a thought expressed for those who had 
"gone West". The attacking forces had suc- 
ceeded in crossing the big marsh, and the lines 
were marked. 



96 IN FRANCE 

SERVICE CHEVRONS 

You can strip him of his chevrons, 

You can take his stripes away, 
And the badge of his division, 

Which produces your dismay, 
You can make him scrap his medals, 

But, no matter how you try, 
You can never, never legislate 

That glitter from his eye. 
He has seen a summer day 

That you have never dreamed, 
He has seen flesh turn to clay, 

While affronted Heaven screamed; 
He has seen the shattered trench, 

He has seen the twisted wire, 
He has seen strong, living men 

Charred and black in molten fire; 
He has seen beneath his feet 

Flesh of comrades turned to clay, 
As you never could have dreamed. 



PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 97 

He has seen a summer day. 

You can ban the golden arrow 
That is stitched on his right sleeve, 

And eradicate distinction 
With a simple "by your leave" ; 

Promulgate your resolutions, 
Hurl the ink until you die, 

But you can't esponge his mem'ry 
Nor the glitter from his eye. 

He has seen an autumn night 
That you could never bear, 

With helFs fire his only light, 
Pointing out hell's angel there ; 

He has known a single hour 
When cold steel, red hail and gas 

Ceased and left a holy calm 
Such, as come when angels pass ; 

He has seen his comrades stand 
Half transfigured in release, 

Knighted, spurred and panoplied 
By their liege lord, the Prince of Peace. 

— Artillerist in "Stars and Stripes." 



CHAPTER VI. 
From Armistice to Discharge. 

The following is an extract from Stars and 
Stripes of February 14th, 1919 : — quoted so the 
activities just preceeding the Armistice will be 
made clear. 

"Further light was thrown this week on the 
great unfought battle of the war, the Allied of- 
fensive of November 14th in Lorraine which 
would have forced the evacuation of Metz, and 
to avoid which the German general staff put up 
its hands. It may now be stated that the Am- 
erican divisions summoned for that battle were 
— taking them as they were lined up from left 
to right when the fighting stopped — the 7th, 
28th, 33rd, 92nd, 4th, 35th and 88th * * an art- 
icle just published in the Journal des Debats by 
Henry Bidou, the French military critic. 

"In support of his argument that the Ger- 
mans collapsed because of a genuine military de- 
feat, Mr. Bidou says: 



100 FROM ARMISTICE 

" 'It is no secret that the French Army had 
prepared for November 14th a last attack en- 
trusted to General Mangin between Metz and 
Strasbourg in the general direction of Sarre- 
bruck. This attack, by a development north- 
ward, would have cut the lines of operation of 
the German armies and, separating them from 
the Rhine, would have driven them to certain 
capitulation. 

Forces Present for Battle 

" In this battle, perhaps the gravest in his- 
tory, what were the forces present? I am au- 
thorized to publish the figures. On the Allied 
side, there were 25 divisions, 19 French and 6 
American ; on the German side, there were four 
divisions, two of them Landwehr. When stupe- 
fied by this inequality, I asked what at least 
were the reserves the German General Staff 
had at its command, I was told : 'Zero'. I asked 
what they could bring from other fronts where 
they had been so severely engaged ; again I was 
told: 'Zero.' 

" That was the actual situation at the begin- 
ning of November. The German general staff 
was on the eve of a nameless disaster. It had 
already prepared the evacuation of Metz. But 
that was not enough. Sure of being unable to 



TO DISCHARGE 101 

resist, it put down its arms and saved the de- 
bris of its army by the armistice of November 
11th, which was a genuine military capitulation. 
Germany, thus on the eve of the most inevita- 
ble and most irreparable defeat, escaped from 
it by giving up the fight, dropping its sword 
and crying 'Enough/ Was it well done to grant 
this ? That is not up for discussion here. But 
for anyone to come forward now with a claim 
that she was not whipped, that is either the 
most prodigious ignorance or the boldest impos- 
ture/ 

"According to Mr. Bidou, the people of the 
Rhineland honestly believe that the German 
army emerged unbeaten from the war and that 
the causes of the collapse were internal, both 
political and economic. He points out that, as 
a matter of fact, the German army was soundly 
beaten on July 15th, again on July 18th, again 
on August 8th and thereafter suffered a succes- 
sion of disasters throughout August, September 
and October. 

"From July to October, the German army lost 
the enormous total of 400,000 prisoners. It left 
on the field a quarter of its total artillery, 5,000 
guns. Toward October 20th, the last 17 divis- 
ions engaged had all been led back to the fire 
after less than three days' rest. The jumble of 



102 FROM ARMISTICE 

units, not only of divisions and regiments, but 
of battalions, was unbelievable." 

The Battery remained in the vicinity of the 
position it occupied November 11th, called 
Camp Massa until January 21st, 1919. This 
period was very trying on every one, the mon- 
otony being broken at times by inspections, care 
of horses, material and practice marches. 

Colonel Taylor took command of the regiment 
while we were in this sector, but he was ordered 
to Germany when we were ordered home; as 
there was not much to do, we had that good- 
natured grumbling in which men indulge when 
there is not much cause for it — the grumbling is 
in the inverse ratio to the cause — in other words 
the more comfortable they were, and the less 
they had to do, the more some are inclined to 
grumble ; while during long marches in the rain 
and darkness, when rations were short they fre- 
quently saw the funny side of many things and 
joked about them. We wanted to go on into 
Germany or go home, but many weeks dragged 
on with us in the area of destroyed towns and 
soldiers' cemeteries — so the holidays passed; 
we provided most of our own amusements and 
made the best of the situation. Some were 
able to get away to "leave areas" and saw some- 
thing of other parts of France. 



TO DISCHARGE 103 

Thanksgiving 1918 

November's misty sunshine on the streets of 

Paris lay; 
The colors of all the Allies from window and 

wall were gay ; 
There was laughter and joy in plenty, as, under 

the autumn sky, 
I saw, through the Arch of Triumph, the Stars 

and Stripes go by. 

By a band of martial music the fluttering flag 
was led, 

And the column of drab-clad soldiers with a rap- 
id, rhythmic tread ; 

And the passing throng of Paris stood rigid, 
with eyes aflame, 

As under the Arch of Triumph my country's 
banner came. 

And the hush that was on the people found echo 

in my breast; 
It beat with a deep thanksgiving that our flag 

from the golden west 
In the fight for human freedom had borne so 

brave a share, 
And wherever the wind unfurls it the heads of 

men are bare; 



104 FROM ARMISTICE 

That the lads of our drab-clad armies at Trugny 

and Montf aucon, 
On the flaming slopes of Mezy, in the hell of 

the deep Argonne, 
Had fought with as fine a courage for the lands 

where the Hun had trod 
As the men of the elder decades who fought 

for their native sod. 

For now, through the misty sunshine that veil- 
ed the queenly town, 

The bronze men over the archway on the pass- 
ing flag looked down — 

The men of Lodi and Jena, and it seemed that 
their haughty glance 

Said: "Flag of the Great Republic, thou, too, 
art at home in France ; 

"Thou hast won the right in glory on the fields 

where thy arms have gleamed 
To stand with our own Tricolor henceforth in 

the hearts of a race redeemed." 
Then the martial music quickened and, a flame 

on the misty sky, 
From the shade of the Arch of Triumph the 

Stars and Stripes went by. 

J. M. Hanson, Capt., F. A. 



TO DISCHARGE 105 

Our first move homeward was made when we 
left Camp Massa, marching through Pierfette 
and Loxeville to billet in an old factory at Cous- 
ances, eleven kilometers from Commercy. We 
had shelter here and a fair home. On the 4th 
of February the guns were turned in at Souhme 
and on February 19th the horses delivered to 
the 33rd Division; this relieved us of consider- 
able routine work. 

While in this area the Division was reviewed 
by General Pershing and the Prince of Wales. 
The following is an extract from the Kansas 
City Star relative to this event: "Members of 
the 35th Division in France have been reviewed 
by General Pershing and the Prince of Wales. 
Gen. Pershing made them a fine speech, prais- 
ed them highly for their bravery and endur- 
ance in the Argonne Battle, and then bade them 
goodbye, wishing them a safe voyage across the 
ocean and a warm welcome by their loved ones 
at home. 

"The Prince of Wales then made a speech, and 
when he finished the boys of Missouri and Kan- 
sas cheered him almost as loudly as they did 
their own General Pershing * * 

"The Meuse River from Commercy to St. 
Mihiel and Verdun, perhaps farther, has cut 
a valley a half mile wide through a range of 
hills. Imagine yourself standing on a bluff and 



106 FROM ARMISTICE 

looking across the river directly below you, 
and there seeing fifteen to twenty thousand 
troops lined in battalion formation, pla- 
toon front, seven hundred and fifty to one thou- 
sand men in a battalion, and you will get an 
idea of the magnificant spectacle we saw yester- 
day. * * 

"It was then 1:30 and the troops had been 
assembling since 10 o'clock, so some of them 
had been waiting for more than three hours — 
standing in the rain, carrying field packs, gas 
masks and rifles and wearing their field helmets. 
* * When the mounted party of twenty or 
thirty officers and orderlies, General Persh- 
ing and the Prince in the lead, had reached a 
position directly in front-centre of the division, 
the party halted, and the band played 'My Coun- 
try Tis of Thee' while general, prince and pri- 
vate saluted. The reviewing party rode up and 
down in front of the division and entirely 
around the troops * * the party then dis- 
mounted, the horses were led off to the divi- 
sion's left and the party on foot began a com- 
plete inspection of the troops — rank by rank. 
This required nearly two hours. 

"At last, about four o'clock, the last file had 
been inspected. * * Then we heard the impres- 
sive strains of a march and a sharp command, 
unusually clear at that distance, probably three- 



TO DISCHARGE 107 

quarters of a mile — 'Squads right! March! * * 
"From where I stood you could not see the 
step of any individual soldier, with the impres- 
sive result that each batallion seemed to be a 
solid mass, moving slowly as if impelled by 
some unseen power, the whole conveying an im- 
pression of tremendous might. 

"Pershing and the prince in front, and the 
other mounted officers directly behind, received 
the salutes and 'Eyes right !' as the twenty bat- 
talions passed in review. 

"When the last file had moved past, the di- 
vision halted and all the officers, from lieuten- 
ants to generals, were called to hear a talk by 
Pershing, who with his party had now dis- 
mounted. * * 

"He is not an orator, but he is an effective 
speaker, his earnest, forceful manner making 
up for any faults in style. He put all his vigor 
into his brief address, emphasizing his state- 
ments with sharp gestures, made with clenched 
fists, leaning toward the officers to drive home 
his points, and speaking with an intensely ear- 
nest voice and manner. His address was extem- 
poraneous, but it was not in the nature of orders 
to subordinates, but was a talk, man to man. 
He said, in part : 

" 'I am glad of this opportunity to say a tew 



108 FROM ARMISTICE 

words to the officers, and through the officers 
to the men of this excellent division. 

" The 35th Division made an enviable record 
in its comparatievly short time in the Zone of 
action, and it has shown up splendidly in the 
review today. 

" 'You are going home, and in a short time 
you will have the joy of seeing your loved ones 
again. 

" The hardships of this war have been tre- 
mendous, and we have all come through the 
struggle at least a little the better men for it. 

" 'We have gained inspiration, and I trust 
that you officers and the men of this division 
will use that inspiration in your future life. 

" There is one thing I trust you will not do, 
and that is be misled by certain persons at home 
who seek to make political capital out of the con- 
duct of this war. 

" There have been hardships, but we expect 
that in war. I have no patience with the carp- 
ing critics, who whine about various unavaida- 
ble difficulties that soldiers must face. 

" 'I have nothing but contempt for the man 
who cries because there was no sugar in his 
coffee or because this or that did not suit him. 

" We do not mean to boast or brag, and we 
pay tribute to our great allies, but it is a fact 



TO DISCHARGE 109 

that we came into this struggle at the critical 
time and your courage, your strength, your en- 
durance, your dauntless daring and tremendous 
power crushed the enemy. 

" 'So that when you go home you may know 
that you deserve the welcome and gratitude of 
the country. 

" 'I don't know what your plans are for the 
future, but whatever they may be I take this 
opportunity of wishing you success, and I wish 
the division good luck on its trip home. 

" 'The 35th Division comes from my part of 
the country, and I am proud of the record you 
have made/ 

"When Pershing ended his remarks someone 
yelled: Three cheers for Pershing/ and they 
were given by the officers and spectators with 
a roar, and the division troops, who were still 
in formation off to the left, spontaneously took 
up the cheer as if to show the general they did 
not want him to forget them. Pershing waved 
his hand in token of appreciation. 

"The officers were starting to return to their 
commands when Pershing signaled for atten- 
tion and said: We have with us today a dis- 
tinguished guest who has greatly enjoyed this 
review, and I want you to meet him. I have the 
honor and pleasure to introduce to you the 
Prince of Wales/ 



110 FROM ARMISTICE 

"The prince, who, with General Bullard and 
other officers of the reviewing party, had stood 
at one side during Pershing's talk, now came 
forward, saluted with the peculiar British style, 
and said : The 35th Division first trained in Eu- 
rope with British troops, and we were awfully 
sorry when you left us. You have fought well, 
and I am glad to have been with you today/ 

"The prince looks and acts like a Boy Scout 
about 17 years old, though today's papers say 
he is 25. 

"Evidently he wasn't looking to be asked for 
a speech, and he was very nervous and kept 
clawing at the belt of his trench coat. He talks 
with the typical British accent and a British 
choice of words and manner. But he is not at 
all 'stuck on himself/ and his frank, open ac- 
tions made a hit. He was smoking a cigarette 
when Pershing called on him, and as soon as he 
had bowed to end his talk he lit another one 
with a match from a gold match-box. Three 
rousing cheers were also given for the prince." 

Another lap of the homeward journey was be- 
gun on March 6th, when the Battery hiked six- 
teen kilometers to Tronville with full pack, en- 
training in American box cars for the Le Mans 
area on the 7th; the route included Troyes, 
Bourges, Tours to LeMans. On the 8th of 
March the Battery was billeted at Savigne-L' 



TO DISCHARGE 111 

Eveque (12 kilometers from Le Mans) at Cha- 
teau Martrie owned by the Boitelle family. The 
large grounds were beautiful; an artificial lake 
and several buildings on the property. The sta- 
bles near the Chateau were substantial build- 
ings and make good billets for part of the Bat- 
tery. Many years ago the father of the present 
owner was interested with the Vanderbilts in 
thoroughbred horses, and the metal plates over 
the stalls in the stables showed the many tro- 
phies which had been won. We had ball grounds 
and most of the time was given to recreation 
and preparation for final inspection. 

The Battery marched away from this place 
during a snow storm March 30th, and hiked 20 
kilometers to Corneille, but owing to delayed 
trains the start for Brest was not made until 
4:30 P. M. of the 31st. April 1st, the seaport 
of Brest was reached. The camp here was an 
immense city of tents accommodating 60,000 
embarking troops; huge kitchens could feed a 
regiment every ten minutes; things were done 
on a grand scale and efficiency was the watch- 
word. Rules of the camp were rigidly enforced 
— decootizing baths and pack inspections were 
gone through. The only real work was that of 
large day and night details for kitchen work. 

April 11th proved to be the eventful day, the 
organization marching to the dock and boarding 



112 FROM ARMISTICE 

the R. M. S. Vedic, as each man answered to 
the last roll call in France. Some were disap- 
pointed because we did not draw an American 
transport, but this could be overlooked as we 
were on our way home. The ship left Brest 
at 5:30 P. M., while the receding shores of 
France brought back many memories of hard- 
ships endured, battles won and brave comrades 
lost, never to return. The second day out a bad 
storm was encountered and the "Vedic," not 
having a heavy cargo, rocked like a cork; the 
seasick had to endure two more storms before 
the end of the voyage. We were able to make 
but fifty miles in twenty-four hours during one 
of these storms. 

April 22nd, land was sighted and the ship- 
steamed into the harbor of Boston. The men 
were wild with joy at seeing the good old U. S. 
A. again. The Boston Committee of Welcome 
met the 'Vedic" in an excursion boat and threw 
over a barrage of candy, tobacco and doughnuts. 
Music and cheers alternated until the last sol- 
dier was aboard the N. Y., N. H. & H. cars bound 
for Camp Devens at Ayers, 42 miles from Bos- 
ton. More decootizing baths were given here. 
No work or details were required of the men, 
it being an ideal camp for home-coming sol- 
diers. The Red Cross, Y. M. C. A., K. of C. and 







ittery K, 128th Field Artillery, A. R. F., Camp Devens, Mass., April, 1919. 



TO DISCHARGE 113 

the Jewish Welfare Board held open house for 
anyone wearing a uniform. 

April 27th, the Battery was split up into dif- 
ferent detachments Missouri-Kansas and Texas 
men ; the Texas men bade goodbye to old friends 
and left for their Texas camp ; the Missouri and 
Kansas men entrained for Camp Funston at Ft. 
Riley, Kansas, April 29th, the 128th Field Artil- 
lery paraded in St. Louis, the home of most of 
the men. The returning troops were received 
with open arms. In the downtown district the 
crowd was so great that the column of squads 
had to march single file in places. Several hours 
were given the soldiers to meet their friends 
and relatives while refreshments were being 
served. The next day the train passed through 
Kansas City and stopped several hours. 
Extract from Kansas City Star April 30, 1919. 

"An 'orphan* with many mothers, fathers, 
wives and sweethearts, is Battery E, 128th Field 
Artillery, a Kansas City unit which stopped 
three hours at the Union Station early today. 
Nearly one thousand relatives and relatives-to- 
be were on the station platform when the second 
section of the train bearing the 128th, F. A. 
pulled in at 7:35 o'clock this morning. 

"Kansas City's battery of the 128th Regiment 
F. A., did not parade here because no orders 
had been received permitting it. The men want- 



114 FROM ARMISTICE 

ed to. They would have liked to march down 
Grand Ave. and show the home folks how the 
'best battery in the 128th' looked and acted. 
But orders are orders and Capt. Leslie L. Buck- 
lew, the commander, had to content his men 
with visiting among their relatives on the sta- 
tion platform. 

"There were tears and cheers — and later hugs 
and kisses. When the train reached the yards 
the men were hanging from the windows and 
when the Union Station was reached the Kansas 
City artillerymen dropped to the platform and 
dashed into the arms of awaiting mothers, fath- 
ers, wives and sweethearts with the esprit de 
corps they unlimbered, going into action. 

"Because of its isolation, Battery E received 
little publicity during the war. Many persons 
in Kansas City never heard of the organization, 
80 percent of which was recruited here. But, 
nevertheless, the Germans heard a lot from 
them — in fact, the battery was just as free in 
spreading American 'propaganda" behind the 
Hun lines as was Kansas City's own, the 129th. 

On Friday, May 2nd, forty-eight hours after 
the arrival at Funston, the battery was muster- 
ed out. Friends of twenty-one months' army 
service parted with a feeling of regret. The 
next day the 129th F. A. and part of Battery E 
paraded through the streets of Kansas City and 



TO DISCHARGE 115 

to Convention Hall; here they had a generous 
dinner, and met old friends. Soldier comrades 
said good-bye, perhaps forever. Thus "The 
Orphan Battery" was disbanded, but members 
meeting here and there will give the 
hearty handshake and always remember with 
pleasure old times; not forgetting a thought 
for those who have "gone West" as well as com- 
rades in sanitariums suffering from that dread 
disease resulting from poison gas. 

May our reunions be well attended, so we 
can have a hearty chorus to again sing "The 
Four of Us," also that famous artillery song, to 
enjoy the thrill — 

"Over hill, over dale, as we hit the dusty trail 
And the caissons go rolling along." 

THE END 



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